Salix iliensis Regel

Chinese records of the European Salix aurita Linnaeus are referable to S. iliensis.

Shrubs large; bark dull gray. Branchlets yellowish, at first tomentulose, glabrescent. Buds flattened oblong-lanceolate. Stipules reniform, margin dentate; petiole 3-4 mm; leaf blade elliptic, obovate-elliptic, broadly elliptic, or obovate to suborbicular, 3-7 cm, abaxially greenish, glabrous, tomentulose when young, adaxially dull green, base cuneate or broadly cuneate, margin entire, rarely irregularly remotely dentate, apex acute. Flowering precocious or nearly coetaneous. Male catkin sessile; bracts obovate-oblong, apex dull brown to nearly black, obtuse. Male flower: gland adaxial; stamens 2, distinct; filaments downy at base. Female catkin 1-2 cm, to 4 cm in fruit, with short peduncle and leaflets. Female flower: ovary long conical, densely gray tomentose; stipe ca. 1 mm; style short; stigma capitate. Capsule ca. 5 mm, gray pubescent. Fl. May, fr. Jun.

Shrub, rarely small tree, 5-6 m tall, with spreading knotty branches; young branches tomentose, becoming glabrous. Leaves stipulate, stipules 2-4 mm long, semicordate, dentate. Petioles 3-5 mm long, slightly hairy. Lamina 3.5-7.5 x 1.8-4 cm long, elliptic to subrhomboidal, rarely ovate narrowed at base, shortly acuminate, entire or irregularly toothed, pilose, becoming glabrous. Catkin appearing before leaves or more or less at the same time as leaves, lateral, subsessile or borne on a short stalk with 4-6 bracts. Bracts 1.5-2.5 x 0.5-1 mm, generally obtuse, hairy. Male flower: stamens 2, free, filaments 4-7.5 mm long, hairy at base; anthers 0.5-0.7 mm long. Female catkin up to 2 x 0.7 cm; in fruit 4 cm long. Female flower: Ovary c. 3 mm long, hairy, hairs appressed silky, white, style c. 1 mm long, elongating later on; gland 1, posterior, c. 0.5 mm long, emerginate at apex. Capsule stipitate, stipe 1-3 mm long; capsule 5-8 mm long, sparsely hairy.

Xinjiang (Kunlun Shan, Tian Shan) [Afghanistan, S Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan]

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan (Chitral, Gilgit), Kashmir, Kazakstan, Kirghizstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.

Fl. Per.: May-June.

Woods; 1400-2700 m.