Larry Levine 3-19-03, 822-7190 LevineL
northcoast.comworksheet comparing five coastal willows
- northern Humboldt County
Larry Levine 3-19-03, 822-7190 LevineLnorthcoast.com
On CNPS plant walks in the Table Bluff to Trinidad area, we commonly
encounter four or more types of willows, distinguishable by field characters. Some
of these entities clearly correspond to recognized species, while the remainder seem
to belong to a pair of hybridizing species, S. lasiolepis, and
S. hookeriana. While we often encounter individuals with the "ideal" characters of
one of the two, usually we see mixed characters. S. laevigata
may be absent in
our coastal region. A comparison of it and S. lucida ssp. lasiandra
was provided by John Bair, 826-7794 x14, johnmcbaintrush.com
| related five-stamen types | lasiolepis complex (intergrade) | ||||
| Salix sitchensis
Sitka willow |
Salix lucida
ssp. lasiandra
shining willow |
Salix laevigata
red willow |
Salix lasiolepis
arroyo willow (inland name) |
Salix hookeriana
coastal willow | |
| growth form | erect | erect, tree-like,
near water |
spreading | ||
| bud scale | fused | fused | unfused | fused | |
| leaf shape | oblanceolate | tapered lanceolate | long-tapered
lanceolate |
lanceo- to oblanceolate | broad |
| leaf underside | silky | green or glaucous | green | glaucous
when mature |
fuzzy |
| other
leaf features |
quilted
above,
blue-green |
glands at base of blade, on margin, and on stipules | glands at base of blade, stipules deciduous | ||
| twig | red
(not from sun) |
red or yellowish | stout, hairy, often glaucous | ||
| bark | smooth | furrowed | smooth | ||
| catkin | long, narrow | on leafy stems | robust, esp. male | ||
| stamens | 1 | 5 | 2 | ||
| flower bract | yellow, hairy | green, sparsely hairy, deciduous | black, very hairy | ||
| flower timing | before leaves | after leaves | before leaves | ||
| Home | California Native Plant Society - North Coast Chapter P.O. Box 1067 Arcata, CA 95518-1067 |
Last modified 03/29/03 02:24 EST