Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 34 (1896).djvu/498

 464 THE SALTX LISTS IN THE 'LONDON CATALOGUE.' is the presence of a moderate style in undulota; in S. lutescens Kern., however, a style which is of frequent occurrence is considered no difficulty, though S. aurita and 8, cinerea commonly have none. In S, undidata Ehrh. the serration of the leaf is strong evidence against the presence of S. viminalis, and the concolorous scales and glabrous ovaries show no sign of its presence. I have succeeded in crossing S. tiiandra and S. viminalis, and, though this must not be considered a crucial test, the result is so far satisfactory, that S. hippophaifolia Thuill. is the product and not S. undidata Ehrh. This conclusion affects the third hybrid in the list, viz. '' triandra X mminalia (imdulata Ehrh.) " as well as the first ; for S. hippo- phaifolia Thuill. must stand as the true and ascertained synonym for S. triandra x viminalis. With regard to the question whether S. deciyiejis Hoffm. is S.fragilis X triandra, there are two or three facts which militate against this theory ; otherwise, in most respects, it affords a satis- factory explanation. The flowers, both male and female, of S. decipiens are few and scattered, as Hoffmann said in his description ; while both fragilis and triandra are free-flowering. The buds are not far removed from those of S. triandra in shape, but show none of the influence of S, fragilis, and in winter are easily distinguished from both. Dr. White (Journ. Linn. Soc. xxvii. p. 349) expressed incredulity about Leefe's statement, **buds black in spring," remarking, " but his specimens have pale buds." Herbarium specimens usually have pale buds, as the winter-buds do not begin to blacken till about October ; it is the catkin-buds that become black, and the black exterior scales, which are more or less polished, have usually fallen off or lost colour by the time flowering speci- mens are gathered in spring. I have seen this peculiarity of bud in S. pentandra L., but in no other British willow besides the one under consideration. The polish of the bark of the twigs is in excess of either supposed parent ; and in female specimens of S. fragilis var. porcellanea Baenitz, which Dr. White has rightly iden- tified with 8. decipiens Hoffm., the pedicels of the ovaries are not intermediate in length, but shorter than in 8. fragilis or 8. triandra. Unless these objections can be disposed of, 8. decipiens must be placed as a variety, or better as a subspecies, under 8. fragilis for the present. There are other named forms of the hybrid, as 8. alo- pecuroides Tausch, 8. suhtriandra, and 8. Kovatsii, known on the Continent ; but for Britain I know of no examples (apart from 8. decipiens); for after cultivating my St. Neot's, Hunts, plant (Journ. Linn. 8oc. xxvii. 353) for years, there is no doubt that it is /b'. triandra, and that Dr. White and myself were misled by the abnormal summer-flowering catkins. The varieties of 8. triandra have always been a source of harassment to British botanists, and their diminution or dis- appearance, if justified, affords a welcome relief. Of the four varieties admitted in the previous edition of the Catalogue, 8. amyg- dalina L. and 8. contorta Crowe seem to be at most indistinct leaf- variations ; 8. Trevirani Spr. both Wimmer and Andersson agree in explaining as 8, triandra x viminalis. But 8. Hoffmanniana Sm.,