# Transactions of the Linnean Society of London/Volume 6/Remarks on some British species of Salix

Read May 5, 1801.
IT has for a long time been my intention to offer to the consideration of the Linnean Society some elucidation of the British Willows; but there are many reasons why any thing like a complete hiory of of the genus of Salix cannot at present be made out, even so far as regards our native species, and I have therefore withheld the partial information I had acquired, in hopes of learning more, and being able to communicate something better worth the Society's acceptance.
At length however it becomes necessary that this obscure genus should assume as regular a form as possible in the Flora Britannica; where, as in every other instance, my object is to publish nothing that I have not ascertained myself, at least as far as the imperfection of all human knowledge and judgment will permit. The enumeration therefore of the species of Salix in that book, though more comprehensive than any yet published in Britain, will be but an essay, to be perfected hereafter; and what I have to offer in this paper are various matters collected in the course of my inquiries, which require a more diffuse explanation than the systematic form of the work just mentioned will admit. I shall at present confine my observations to the arborescent species of the first section of the genus Salix, which comprehends such as have leaves more or less serrated, and nearly smooth, at least when fully formed. This is the ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/143 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/144 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/145 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/146 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/147 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/148 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/149 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/150 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/151 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/152 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/153 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/154 ​Page:Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, Volume 6 (1802).djvu/155 ​and extremity of each leaf are entire, destitute of glands: all the leaves are either perfectly smooth in every part, or a little sprinkled with minute inconspicuous hairs; dark-green above; glaucous and reticulated with veins beneath. Footstalks slender, smooth. Stipulæ crescent-shaped, mostly serrated, various in size.
To the tribe which this paper is intended to illustrate belong (besides a few smaller species, which have little affinity with those already mentioned) two well-known trees, the S. vitellina and the S. fragilis. There will have a place in the Flora Britannica, though it may be doubted whether the former be really indigenous. As, however, I have nothing new to fay concerning them, but, on the contrary, am waiting for more information than I have yet been able to obtain concerning the fructification of both, I will not add to the length of this treatise by any imperfect descriptions. Some remarks of Professor Hoffmann lead me to suspect we may have more than one species in England under the name of fragilis, but that I must leave for future inquiry.
My worthy friend the Rev. Mr. Abbot of Bedford, so wel-known to this Society, has favoured me with one, if not two, entirely new English Willows, which belong to this first section of the genus, and which promise to be important in an œconomical view. I lament that the want of their fructification, and a longer time to observe their growth and different appearances, oblige me to postpone any further mention of them at present.