Salix magnifica
The splendor of willow ( Salix magnifica) is a large shrub of the genus willow ( Salix) with thick, bare and red branches and up to 20 centimeters long leaf blades. The natural range of the species is in China. It is sometimes used as an ornamental shrub.
Description
The splendor Willow is a rare usually about 2 to 6 feet high, tightly upright and slightly branched shrub with thick, bare, initially purple and red branches and later also stained, bare buds. The leaves have no or very small stipules. The petiole is 1 to 3.5 inches long, thick and initially colored red. The thick, leathery leaf blade is 10 to 20 inches long, 8 to 11 inches wide, elliptic, ovate or obovate -oblong, with a rounded, blunt, stachelspitzigem or pointed end and a rounded or more or less heart-shaped, rarely broadly wedge -shaped or narrowed base and irregularly glandular- serrated leaf edge. The upper leaf surface is bluish green, dyed the underside gray-green. It formed about 15 pairs of nerves that originate almost at a right angle from the often reddish midrib. The leaf veins are elevated on both leaf surfaces, at first hairy shaggy and soon glabrous.
As inflorescence 10 to 18 centimeters long, cylindrical catkins formed on a 7 inch long stem with two to five leaflets. The bracts are glabrous, 1.5 to 3 mm long, broadly obovate to oblong, with obtuse - rounded or truncated tip and irregularly serrated leaf edge. The flowers have two nectar glands. Male flowers have two approximately 5 millimeters long stamens with yellow anthers initially purple later. The ovary of female flowers is about 5 millimeters long, ovate - cylindrical, stalked about 2 millimeters long. The stylus is 1 millimeter long with zweilappiger tip, the scar is in two columns. The fruit capsules are 5-7 mm long, nearly sessile or stalked to 4 millimeters long. The splendor willow flowers with the leaves emerge from May to June, the fruits mature from June to July.
Occurrence and habitat requirements
The natural range is in China to the north and west of Sichuan. The splendor willow grows in cool moist woods or near waters in 2100-3000 meters on moderately dry to moderately moist, slightly acidic to alkaline, moderately fertile soil in sunny locations. The species is frost hardy and moderately warm temperatures. The distribution area is the hardiness zone 7a associated with mean annual minimum temperatures of -17.7 to -15.0 ° C ( 0-5 ° F).
In the IUCN Red List Salix magnifica is listed as endangered ( " Critically Endangered "). It is noted, however, that a re-evaluation of risks is required. Reason for the decline is the destruction of the habitat of Art, however, stocks in the Wolong Nature Reserve are undisturbed. The data refer only to the variety Salix magnifica magnifica var.
System
The splendor of willow ( Salix magnifica) is a species in the genus willow ( Salix) in the family of the willow family ( Salicaceae ). It was described in 1906 by William Botting Hemsley first time scientifically. The genus name Salix comes from Latin and was already used by the Romans for various species of willows. The specific epithet magnifica also comes from the Latin, means " splendid " or " great."
There are three varieties:
- Salix magnifica var apatela (CK Schneider) KS Hao with obovate - oblong leaf blades with narrowing to base, pointed or blunt tip. The bracts of the kittens are ovoid with truncated tip. Male flowers have only one gland. The distribution area is in forests on mountain slopes in 2600-3000 meters above sea level in the north of Sichuan. The taxon was in 1916 by Camillo Karl Schneider as a separate species Salix apatela CK Schneid. described and mapped in 1936 by Hao Jingsheng as a variety of the species Salix magnifica.
- Salix magnifica var magnifica with elliptical or egg-shaped leaf blade with a rounded or more or less heart-shaped base and rounded, blunt or stachelspitziger blade tip. The ovary is bilobed, the seed pods are about 5 millimeters long and ovate - elliptic. The distribution area is located near bodies of water at altitudes from 2100 to 2800 meters in the west of Sichuan. The variety is considered endangered.
- Salix magnifica var ulotricha (CK Schneider) N. Chao narrowed at the forefront of a sudden, white shaggy little and stalked ovary. The fruit capsules are about 7 mm long, ovate and almost bald. The distribution area is located in the vicinity of water in 2100 to 2800 meters above sea level in the west of Sichuan. The taxon was in 1916 by Camillo Karl Schneider as a separate species Salix ulotricha CK Schneid. described and mapped in 1984 by Chao Neng as a variety of the species Salix magnifica.
Use
The variety magnifica is sometimes used for their decorative flowers as an ornamental shrub.