SALIX, in botany, willow, a genus of the Dioecia Diandria clsssand order. Na tural order of Amentacem. Essential cha racter: calyx ament, composed of scales : corolla none : male, nectary a melliferous gland: female, style bifid ; capsule one. celled ; two valved seeds downy. There are fifty-three species ; of which we may notice the following : the S. caprea, or common sallow-tree, grows to but a mo derate height, having smooth, dark-green, brittle branches ; oval, waved, rough leaves, indented at top, and woolly un derneath. It grows abundantly in this country, but more frequently in dry than moist situations. It is of a brittle nature, and unfit for the basket makers ; but will serve for poles, stakes, and to to for fire wood : and its timber is good for many purposes. The.S alba, white, or silver leaved willow, grows to a great height and considerable bulk, having smooth, pale-green shoots ; long, spear-shaped, acuminated, sawed, silvery-white leaves, being downy on both sides, with glands below the serratus. This is the common white willow, which grows abundantly about towns and villages, and by the sides of rivers and brooks. &c S. fragiles,fra gile or crack willow, rises to a middling stature, with brownish, very 'fragile or brittle branches long, oval, lanceolate, sawed, smooth leaves, of a shining green on both sides, having dentated glandular foot-stalks. This sort in particular being
exceedingly fragile, so that it easily cracks and breaks, is unfit for culture in osier grounds. S. Babylonica, Babylonian pen dulous Saha, commonly called weeping willow, grows to a largish size, having numerous, long, slender, pendulous branches, hanging down loosely all round in a curious manner ; and long, narrow, spear-shaped, serrated, smooth leaves. This curious willow is a native of the East.
All the species of Salix are of the tree kind, very hardy, remarkably fast grow ers, and several of them attaining a con siderable stature, when permitted to rua up to standards. They are usually of the aquatic tribe, being generally the most abundant, and of most prosperous growth, in watery situations ; they, however, will grow freely almost any where, in any common soil and exposure; but consider ably the fastest and strongest in low moist land, particularly in marshy situations, by the verges of rivers, brooks, and other waters ; likewise along the sides of ditch. es, &c. which places, often lying waste, may be employed to good advantage in plantations of •willows for different pur poses.