Northeast Wetland Flora
Field Office Guide to Plant Species
Salix lucida Muhl.
- Family: Willow (Salicaceae)
- Flowering: April-June
- Field Marks: This large shrub or small tree is distinguished by the long-tapering tail-like tip of the leaves and the presence of a pair of tiny glands on the leaf stalk at the junction with the blade.
- Habitat: Wet ground, swamps, along streams.
- Habit: Shrub or small tree to nearly 30 feet tall, with a trunk diameter up to 10 inches; bark brown.
- Stems: Twigs shiny, yellow to brown; buds oblongoid, rounded at the tip, up to 1/4 inch long.
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, leathery, narrowly ovate, tapering to a long, tail-like point at the tip, rounded to heart-shaped at the base, dark green, smooth, and shiny on the upper surface, smooth and paler on the lower surface, finely toothed; leaf stalks up to 3/4 inch long, with a pair of tiny glands near the junction with the blade; stipules present, kidney-shaped.
- Flowers: Male and female borne in separate spikes on different trees, similar in appearance, up to 3 inches long; bracts oblong to oval, sparsely hairy, yellow-orange.
- Sepals: 0.
- Petals: 0.
- Stamens: 3 or more.
- Pistils: Ovary superior, smooth.
- Fruits: Capsules narrowly ovoid, pointed at the tip, green or brown, smooth, up to 1/4 inch long.
Previous Species -- Tall Priarie Willow (Salix humilis)
Return to Species List -- Group 5
Next Species -- Silky Willow (Salix sericea)
