Salix herbacea

Dwarf Willow

Scientific name: Salix herbacea L.

Diagnostic features
Dwarf shrub less than10cm.
Twigs very sparsely pubescent at first, soon glabrous, glossy, reddish-brown.
Leaves 0.3-2 x 0.3-2cm, sparsely pubescent at first, soon glabrous, ± glossy, rounded to emarginate at apex, crenate-serrate.
Bracts yellowish or red-tinged.
Nectaries 1-2, usually lobed.
Ovary glabrous.

Chromosome number: 2n=38.

Habitat
Native; rock-ledges and rocky mountain-tops.

Distribution
Locally common in Scotland, North England and parts of Wales and Ireland.

This species is keyed out on Page 1593 in the Text Key.

Hybrids
- Salix x grahamii Borrer ex Baker (= Salix aurita x Salix repens x Salix herbacea) has been found in West Sutherland and perhaps Central Scotland, and in West Donegal.
- Salix x margarita F.B. White (= Salix aurita x Salix herbacea) occurs with the parents in Central & North Scotland.
- Salix aurita x Salix lapponum x Salix herbacea (?= Salix x boydii E.F. Linton) was once found in Angus in 1998 and in South Aberdeen in 1996; endemic. See also Salix lapponum x Salix reticulata.
- Salix myrsinifolia x Salix phylicifolia x Salix herbacea is possibly the parentage of plants found in West Perth in 1997.
- Salix x cernua E.F. Linton (= Salix repens x Salix herbacea) occurs with the parents in Central & North Scotland.
- Salix x sobrina F.B.White (= Salix lapponum x Salix herbacea) occurs with the parents in Centraleast Scotland.
- Salix x sadleri Syme (= Salix lanata x Salix herbacea) occurs with the parents in Central-east Scotland.
- Salix x simulatrix F.B. White (= Salix arbuscula x Salix herbacea) occurs with the parents in Mid Perth.
- Salix myrsinites x Salix herbacea occurs with the parents in Central-east Scotland.

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Angiospermophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Subclass Magnoliidae
Superorder Dilleniiflorae
Order Salicales
Family Salicaceae
Genus Salix
Section Chamaetia
Species Salix herbacea

Salix herbacea L.

Dwarf Willow (English)
Willow, Dwarf [English]
Seileach Ailpeach (Gaelic)
Camshaileog (Irish)
Helygen Leiaf (Welsh)

Hybrids
Salix grahamii(x) Borrer ex Baker [Hybrid]
(= Salix aurita x Salix repens x Salix herbacea)

Salix margarita(x) F.B. White [Hybrid]
(= Salix aurita x Salix herbacea)

Salix aurita x Salix lapponum x Salix herbacea [Hybrid]
Salix boydii(x) E.F. Linton (?syn.) [Hybrid]

Salix myrsinifolia x Salix phylicifolia x Salix herbacea [Hybrid]

Salix cernua(x) E.F. Linton [Hybrid]
(= Salix repens x Salix herbacea)

Salix sobrina(x) F.B. White [Hybrid]
(= Salix lapponum x Salix herbacea)

Salix sadleri(x) Syme [Hybrid]
(= Salix lanata x Salix herbacea)

Salix simulatrix(x) F.B. White [Hybrid]
(= Salix arbuscula x Salix herbacea)

Salix myrsinites x Salix herbacea [Hybrid]

Meikle, R.D., 1984. Willows and Poplars of Great Britain and Ireland. BSBI Handbook No. 4. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London. Illustrated by Victoria Gordon.

Salix herbacea 7 (Female flowers, picture taken in Norway by H.J.B. Birks)
Salix cernua(x) a (Leafy branch with male and female catkins and flower details, (= S. herbacea x S. repens) drawing by V. Gordon in Meikle, 1984; BSBI Handbook 4.)
Salix grahamii(x) a (Leafy branch with male and female catkins and flower details, (= S. herbacea x S. aurita x S. repens) drawing by V. Gordon in Meikle, 1984; BSBI Handbook 4.)
Salix herbacea 2 (Flowering habit, picture taken in British Islands by R.E.N. Smith)
Salix herbacea 3 (Flowering habit, picture taken in Norway by H.J.B. Birks)
Salix herbacea 4 (Flowering habit, picture taken in Nuolja by H.J.B. Birks)
Salix herbacea 5 (Habit, picture taken in Eak Pike by G. Halliday)
Salix herbacea 6 (Habit, picture taken in M Ebudes by C.A. Stace)
Salix herbacea a (Leafy branch with male and female catkins and flower details, drawing by V. Gordon in Meikle, 1984; BSBI Handbook 4.)
Salix herbacea b (Detail catkins, drawing by V. Gordon in Meikle, 1984; BSBI Handbook 4.)
Salix herbacea c (Leaf, picture by C.A. Stace in Stace, 1997)
Salix margarita(x) a (Leafy branch with male and female catkins and flower details, (= S. herbacea x S. aurita) drawing by V. Gordon in Meikle, 1984; BSBI Handbook 4.)