Salix ligulifolia
J. Arnold Arbor. 2: 188. 1922.
Shrubs, 1–8 m. Stems: branches yellow-brown, gray-brown, or red-brown, not glaucous, glabrous or villous; branchlets yellow-green or yellow-brown, glabrous, sparsely to densely villous, or velvety, (inner membranaceous bud-scale layer free, not separating from outer layer). Leaves: stipules foliaceous, apex rounded, convex, acute or acuminate; petiole convex to flat, or shallowly grooved adaxially, 3–18 mm, glabrous, pilose, or velvety to glabrescent adaxially; largest medial blade lorate, narrowly oblong, or narrowly elliptic, 60–133 × 12–30 mm, 2.9–6.4 times as long as wide, base rounded, convex, or subcordate, margins flat, usually serrulate or serrate, rarely (apparently) entire, apex acuminate to acute, abaxial surface glaucous, glabrous, sparsely short-silky or pubescent, hairs straight or wavy, adaxial dull, glabrous, sparsely short-silky, or midrib pubescent; proximal blade margins entire, serrulate, or crenulate; juvenile blade reddish or yellowish green, glabrous or sparsely to moderately densely pilose or puberulent abaxially, hairs white. Catkins flowering as or just before leaves emerge; staminate stout, 20.5–34 × 8–11 mm, flowering branchlet 0–3 mm; pistillate moderately densely flowered, slender to subglobose, 15.5–49 × 8–18 mm, flowering branchlet 1–6 mm; floral bract brown or bicolor, 0.8–1.6 mm, apex acute or rounded, abaxially hairy throughout or proximally (hairs usually arising from rachis), hairs wavy or curly. Staminate flowers: adaxial nectary narrowly oblong, oblong, flask-shaped, or triangular, 0.3–0.8 mm; filaments distinct or connate less than 1/2 their lengths (or appearing as a single stamen), glabrous or hairy basally; anthers purple or red turning yellow, (ellipsoid or globose), 0.5–0.8 mm. Pistillate flowers: adaxial nectary oblong, narrowly oblong, or flask-shaped, 0.3–0.9 mm, shorter than stipe; stipe 0.9–2.5 mm; ovary pyriform, glabrous, beak sometimes slightly bulged below styles; ovules 12–21 per ovary; styles 0.2–0.6 mm; stigmas flat, abaxially non-papillate with rounded tip, or slenderly cylindrical, 0.16–0.25–0.4 mm. Capsules 4–6 mm. 2n = 38.
Phenology: Flowering late Mar-mid Jun(-late Jul).
Habitat: Banks and floodplains, cienegas, sandy-clay or gravelly substrates
Elevation: 0-3100 m
Distribution
Ariz., Calif., Colo., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wyo.
Discussion
Salix ligulifolia sometimes has leaf teeth that are so short that it is referred to as “entire-leaved.” That condition is uncommon and, even when some leaves appear to be entire, others with fine serrulations can be found on the same plant.
Hybrids:
Salix ligulifolia forms natural hybrids with S. geyeriana.
Selected References
None.