Jepson Herbarium
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Indexes to all accepted names and synonyms: | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

Shrub, tree; dioecious ( monoecious).
Stem: trunk < 40 m; wood soft; bark smooth, bitter; buds scaly.
Leaf: simple, alternate, deciduous; stipules generally present, deciduous or not, often large.
Inflorescence: catkin [or various, or flowers 1]; each flower subtended by 1 bract.
Flower: perianth modified into non-nectariferous, cup- or saucer-shaped structure or reduced to adaxial nectary (rarely also with abaxial nectary, then free or fused into shallow cup).
Staminate flower: stamens 2–many.
Pistillate flower: pistil 1, ovary superior to 1/2-inferior, chambers generally 2–4, placentas parietal, stigma lobes 2–4.
Fruit: berry, drupe, or 2–4-valved capsule.
Seed: often with basal tuft of hairs.
58 genera, 1210 species: widespread in tropics, n temperate, arctic. Now including many genera (e.g., Flacourtia, Idesia, Xylosma) formerly in Flacourtiaceae, at least in part because of presence on leaf margins in both families of salicoid teeth (vein extending to tooth tip). In CA (and generally outside CA), Populus pollinated by wind, Salix by insects, wind. Hybrids common; identification often difficult. —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Salicaceae

Shrub, tree; dioecious; bud scale 1, not sticky, margins generally fused (or free, overlapping).
Stem: twigs generally flexible, generally not glaucous.
Leaf: generally alternate; stipules generally vestigial on first leaves, leaf-like on later; mature blade linear to broadly obovate, entire to toothed, generally ± hairy; petiole glands generally 0.
Inflorescence: catkin, blooming before, with, or after leaves, sessile or terminating ± short leafy or bracted shoot ("on leafy shoot" or "on bracted shoot"; " catkin length" including leafless or bractless part of subtending shoot); 1 flower bract subtending each flower, deciduous or persistent, brown, black, or 2-colored (paler proximally, darker distally; darker generally ± brown).
Flower: perianth reduced to adaxial nectary (rarely also with abaxial nectary, then free or fused into shallow cup).
Staminate flower: stamens (1)2(10); nectary generally 1.
Pistillate flower: ovary stalked or sessile, style generally 1, stigmas 2, each 2-lobed, deciduous or persistent; nectary generally 1, generally rod-like.
Fruit: valves 2.
± 450 species: ± worldwide, especially n temperate, arctic. (Latin: ancient name) [Argus 1997 Madroño 44:115–136] Difficult, highly variable, many hybrids. Not all specimens key easily; sprouts, other extreme forms not included in keys, may require field comparisons. Studies of chromosome numbers, hybridization needed. Inclusion of Salix sessilifolia Nutt. in TJM (1993) based on misidentification of plants belonging to Salix melanopsis. Fr length as given throughout excludes the stalk (stipe). Hair lengths: minute, < ± 0.5 mm; short, ± 0.5 mm; long, > ± 0.5 mm. Salix commutata Bebb, treated as misapplied to Salix eastwoodiae in TJM (1993), may occur in n CA mtns; Salix bonplandiana expected in s-most CA. For alternate treatments, see Dorn (e.g., 2000 Brittonia 52:1–19).
Unabridged references: [Dorn, R. D. 1995. A taxonomic study of Salix section Cordatae subsection Luteae (Salicaceae). Brittonia 47: 160–174. Dorn, R. D. 1998. A taxonomic study of Salix section Longifoliae (Salicaceae) Brittonia 50: 193–210. Dorn, R. D. 2000. A taxonomic study of Salix sections Mexicanae and Viminella subsection Sitchenses (Salicaceae) in North America. Brittonia 52: 1–19.]

Shrub < 5 m.
Stem: twigs red- or mottled yellow-brown, brittle at base, generally strongly glaucous, hairy, glabrous in age.
Leaf: later stipules leaf-like; petiole 2–12 mm; young leaves white- or white-and-rusty-silky; mature blade 40–85 mm, strap-shaped, elliptic, or oblanceolate, acuminate to convex (base convex to wedge-shaped), entire to shallowly crenate, ± rolled under, abaxial hairs generally dense, short- or long-silky or woolly, white or white and rusty, straight or wavy.
Inflorescence: blooming before leaves, pistillate 22–87 mm, on leafy shoots 0–3(6) mm; flower bract brown to black.
Staminate flower: stamens 2.
Pistillate flower: ovary silky, stalk 0.3–2 mm, style 0.5–1.5 mm.
2n=38,57,76. Streamsides, wet meadows, subalpine red-fir forest; 2200–3000 m. c&s High Sierra Nevada, White and Inyo Mountains;

Previous taxon: Salix delnortensis
Next taxon: Salix eastwoodiae

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.