Salix discolor Muhl.

• 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 discolor Muhl.

• Description

  Species Description - Few-stemmed shrub or small tree 2–5(–7) m; twigs rather stout, reddish to dark brown, hairy when young, usually later glabrate; buds large, to 1 cm; stipules small to large, rounded to semi-ovate; lvs mostly elliptic or elliptic-oblanceolate, 4–8(–10) × 1.5–3.5(–5) cm, acute or shortly acuminate, subentire to undulate-crenate, with flat margins, at maturity generally dark green and glabrous (seldom puberulent) above, the lower lf-surface becoming glaucous, generally reddish-strigillose when young, sometimes more persistently so, varying to loosely and persistently hairy; catkins precocious, sessile or nearly so, bractless or few-bracted, stout, and staminate 2–4 cm, ornamental, the pistillate 4–8(10) cm in fr; scales 1.5–2.5 mm, dark brown, long-villous; stamens 2; frs lanceolate, beaked, 7–10(–12) mm, densely gray-hairy; pedicels 1.5–3 mm; style 0.5–0.7 mm, the stigmas at least as long; 2n=76, 95, 114. Common in swamps and wet ground; Nf. to Alta., s. to Del., Ky., Mo., S.D., and Mont. S.×conifera Wangenh. is probably a hybrid with no. 24 [Salix humilis Marshall].

• Common Names

  pussy willow