Salix pyrifolia Andersson

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Salicaceae

• Scientific Name

  Salix pyrifolia Andersson

• Description

  Species Description - Shrub to 5 m, occasionally arborescent; twigs glabrous, at first yellowish, becoming red and shining; bud-scale 2–8 mm, red; stipules wanting, or ovate and 1–2 mm; petioles 0.8–2 cm; lvs reddish while unfolding, thin and translucent at first, ovate to lanceolate or lance-oblong, 4–10(–13) × 2–4(–5) cm, acute to abruptly acuminate, crenate-serrate with often glandular teeth, rounded to cordate at base, deep green above, glaucous and finely reticulate beneath, glabrous, with a balsamic fragrance; catkins with or after the lvs, 2–6(–8) cm, lax, the staminate on bracteate peduncles 2–8 mm, the pistillate on leafy peduncles 1–3 cm; scales 2–2.5 mm, reddish-brown, white-villous, becoming glabrate outside; stamens 2; frs lanceolate-rostrate, 6–8 mm, glabrous; pedicels 2.5–3.5 mm; style 0.3–0.5 mm; 2n=38. Moist or wet or swampy ground; Lab. and Que. to B.C., s. to N.S., n. N. Engl., n. N.Y., and n. Minn. Fls mid-May–Aug. (S. balsamifera)

• Common Names

  balsam-willow