Salix orestera |
Salix ×smithiana |
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gray-leaf Sierra willow, gray-leafed Sierra willow, Sierra willow |
silky-leaf osier |
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Habit | Plants 0.5–2 m. Stems: branches dark red-brown or yellow-brown, not to strongly glaucous, glabrous; branchlets yellow-brown or red-brown, (not or weakly glaucous), pilose or pubescent, hairs straight, wavy, or geniculate, (inner membranaceous bud-scale layer free, separating from outer layer). | |
Leaves | stipules foliaceous, rudimentary, or absent on early ones, foliaceous on late ones, apex acute; petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 4–9 mm, pilose adaxially; largest medial blade (sometimes amphistomatous), lorate, narrowly oblong, narrowly elliptic, or oblanceolate, 35–95 × 7.5–20 mm, 3.4–7.1 times as long as wide, base cuneate or convex, margins flat or slightly revolute, entire, apex acute, acuminate, or convex, abaxial surface glaucous (sometimes obscured by hairs), sparsely to moderately densely long- to short-silky or pubescent, hairs (white, sometimes also ferruginous), straight or wavy, adaxial dull or slightly glossy, sparsely or moderately densely pubescent or long- to short-silky, (hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous); proximal blade margins entire or serrulate; juvenile blade densely long-silky abaxially, hairs white, sometimes also ferruginous. |
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Staminate flowers | adaxial nectary oblong or ovate, 0.6–1.1 mm; filaments distinct or connate less than 1/2 their lengths, hairy basally; anthers purple turning yellow, 0.6–1 mm. |
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Pistillate flowers | adaxial nectary oblong or flask-shaped, 0.7–1.3 mm, shorter than or equal to stipe; stipe 0.8–2 mm; ovary obclavate or pyriform, short-silky-villous, beak gradually tapering to or slightly bulged below styles; ovules 15–16 per ovary; styles 0.6–1 mm; stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded or pointed tip, or broadly cylindrical, 0.24–0.32–0.44 mm. |
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Capsules | 5–10 mm. |
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Catkins | flowering as leaves emerge; staminate stout, 15.5–34 × 7–14 mm, flowering branchlet 1–8 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, stout, 20–55(–65 in fruit) × 11–13 mm, flowering branchlet 2–15 mm; floral bract dark brown or bicolor, 1.2–2.5 mm, apex acute or rounded, abaxially hairy, hairs straight or wavy. |
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Salix | ×smithiana Willdenow: S. caprea × S. viminalis is an introduced European hybrid commonly naturalized in eastern Canada (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island), where it was introduced for coarse basketry. |
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Only | pistillate specimens are known and seed-set has not been noted. |
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It(s) | is characterized by: shrubs or trees, 2–10 m; branches yellow-brown, brownish, or gray-brown, pubescent to glabrescent, ± brittle at base, peeled 3–5 year-old branches smooth or striate, striae few, 0–6 mm; branchlets not glaucous, moderately densely pubescent; largest medial leaf blades very narrowly elliptic, narrowly elliptic, or narrowly oblong, 2.8–4.9(–6.4) times as long as wide, margins entire or sinuate, adaxial surfaces pubescent; catkins flowering before leaves emerge; stipes 0.9–2 mm; ovaries pyriform to obclavate, moderately to very densely short-silky; styles 0.5–1.2 mm; stigmas slenderly cylindrical, lobes 0.6–1.2 mm; and capsules 5–7 mm. |
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Salix orestera |
Salix ×smithiana |
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Phenology | Flowering late May-late Aug. | |
Habitat | Subalpine meadows, slopes, lakes, streams, granite substrates | |
Elevation | 2100-4000 m (6900-13100 ft) | |
Distribution |
CA; NV; OR
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NB; NF; NS; PE [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Salix orestera is so similar to S. glauca var. villosa that it is sometimes included in S. glauca. It is phenetically most similar to S. eastwoodiae and S. lemmonii (G. W. Argus 1997), and the possibility that it is a hybrid or an alloploid involving those species needs study. Salix orestera can be distinguished from S. glauca var. villosa in having largest medial blades usually narrower, 3.4–7.1 times as long as wide, abaxial surfaces distinctly silky with appressed hairs pointing toward apex, hairs sometimes ferruginous, secondary veins raised abaxially and adaxially, branches often strongly glaucous, and staminate flowers without abaxial nectaries; S. glauca var. villosa has largest medial blades usually broader, 2.2–3.9 times as long as wide, abaxial surfaces usually glabrescent or, if hairy, hairs unkempt, slightly spreading, hairs always white, secondary veins raised abaxially, flat or impressed adaxially, branches not glaucous, staminate flowers often with abaxial nectaries. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Hybrids Salix caprea × S. viminalis and S. cinerea × S. viminalis are commonly recognized in North American floras. They are difficult to separate and their nomenclature is confusing. I am following G. Larsson (1995), who typified S. ×smithiana and cited S. ×sericans (formerly S. cinerea × S. viminalis) and S. caprea × S. viminalis as synonyms. These two S. viminalis hybrids are very similar. Salix caprea × S. viminalis has wood with striae 2–6 mm and leaves usually broadest in the middle; S. cinerea × S. viminalis has decorticated wood with striae 10+ mm and leaves usually broader toward the tip (B. Jonsell and T. Karlsson 2000+, vol. 1). Authentic S. cinerea × S. viminalis has not been seen from the flora area. See 86. Salix pellita and 98. S. viminalis for more discussion of morphologies. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 7, p. 108. | FNA vol. 7, p. 132. |
Parent taxa | Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Hastatae | Salicaceae > Salix > subg. Vetrix > sect. Cinerella |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. commutata var. rubicunda, S. glauca subsp. orestera, S. glauca var. orestera | |
Name authority | C. K. Schneider: J. Arnold Arbor. 1: 164. (1920) | Willdenow |
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