Salix lucida

Salix lucida (Shining Willow, Pacific Willow, or Whiplash Willow) is a species of willow native to northern and western North America, occurring in wetland habitats.^[1][2][3]

It is a deciduous large shrub or small tree growing to 4–11 m tall. The shoots are greenish-brown to grey-brown. The leaves are narrow elliptic to lanceolate, 4–17 cm long and 1-3.5 cm broad, glossy dark green above, usually glaucous green below, hairless or thinly hairy. The flowers are yellow catkins 1–9 cm long, produced in late spring after the leaves emerge.^[2][3][4]

There are two or three subspecies:^[1][2][3]

• Salix lucida subsp. lucida. Shining Willow. Newfoundland west to eastern Saskatchewan, and south to Maryland and South Dakota.
• Salix lucida subsp. lasiandra (Benth.) E.Murray (syn. S. lasiandra Benth.). Pacific Willow. Alaska east to Northwest Territory, and south to California and New Mexico.
• Salix lucida subsp. caudata (Nutt.) E.Murray. Whiplash Willow. Interior western North America from eastern British Columbia south to eastern California and Nevada. Included in subsp. lasiandra by some authors.

It is closely related to Salix pentandra of Europe and Asia.^[5]

References