Fragilis: Answers to key questions in Conifers & Catkin-Bearing Trees and Shrubs of Saskatchewan, Fascicle 5, Flora of Saskatchewan by Anna Leighton leading to this species. The answers are in the order you would normally work through the key. 

	Catkins usually flowering as leaves emerge, sometimes just before leaves emerge or throughout the season, subtended by small green leaves of the flowering branchlet that supports them; NOT [Catkins usually flowering before leaves emerge, borne directly on bare branches (sessile) and subtended by 1 - 3 short, greenish or brownish, caducous bract-like leaves]
	Low to tall shrubs or trees; not confined to subarctic regions;  NOT [Dwarf shrubs <= 0.15 m (15 cm) tall; subarctic regions]
	Trees, with a single trunk, or with several trunks of tree stature; ovaries glabrous; NOT [Shrubs, usually with several stems; ovaries glabrous or hairy]
	Bud scale margins fused on the side facing the stem, forming a blunt-tipped hood-like cap over the bud; stipes 0.2 – 2 (4) mm; NOT [Bud scale margins free and overlapping on the side of the bud facing the stem, forming a +/- pointed covering around the bud; stipes 1.6 – 3.2 mm]
	Leaf blades 3  - 11 times longer than wide, lower surfaces glabrous or hairy, usually glaucous, and upper surfaces various; lower surfaces of juvenile leaf blades glabrous, long-silky or villous; plants native or introduced; NOT [Leaf blades 2.2 – 3.4 times longer than wide, lower surfaces glabrous, pale but not glaucous, and upper surfaces glabrous, highly glossy; lower surfaces of juvenile leaf blades glabrous; plants introduced]
	Flowering branchlets 3 – 15 mm; juvenile leaves lower surface hairs white; leaf blade lower surfaces glabrous or with white hairs, upper surfaces dull or shiny, apices usually acuminate; plants introduced; NOT [Flowering branchlets 6 - 56 mm; juvenile leaves lower surface hairs white or some ferruginous; leaf blade lower surfaces glabrous or with white or some ferruginous hairs, upper surfaces shiny or highly glossy, apices caudate or acuminate; plants native]
	Catkins 30 – 96 mm; juvenile leaf blades hairy but soon becoming glabrous; petioles deeply grooved, pilose or villous; branches highly brittle at base; plants cultivated and widely naturalized, spreading readily by stem fragmentation; NOT [Catkins 24 - 60 mm; juvenile leaf blades conspicuously hairy and remaining densely hairy after unfolding; petioles shallowly grooved, long-silky; branches flexible or somewhat brittle at base; plants cultivated and occasionally naturalized (near Mistatim)]

Salix: Answers to key questions in Conifers & Catkin-Bearing Trees and Shrubs of Saskatchewan, Fascicle 5, Flora of Saskatchewan by Anna Leighton leading to this genus. 

	shrubs or trees; NOT [trees]
	buds covered by 1 scale; NOT  [buds covered by 3-10 scales]
	buds scale not resinous; NOT [bud scale usually resinous]
	catkins sessile or terminating flowering branchlets; NOT [catkins sessile]
	catkins erect, spreading, or +/- pendulous; NOT [catkins pendulous]
	floral bracts entire, erose, bifid, or irregularly toothed; NOT [floral bracts deeply cut]
	perianth reduced to an adaxial nectary (rarely also an abaxial nectary, then the 2 nectaries distinct or connate into a shallow cup); NOT [perianth reduced to a non-nectariferous, cup-shaped or shallow saucer-shaped floral disc]
	stamens 1, 2, or 3 – 10; NOT [stamens 6 – 60 (70)]
	capsules obclavate to ovoid or ellipsoid; NOT [capsules narrowly ovoid to spherical, with the floral disc persistent at base]
	capsules 2-valved; NOT [capsules 2 - 4 valved]

Salicaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

	shrubs or trees; NOT [herbs]
	flowers with only one floral ring, with sepals but not petals
	male flowers, at least, in catkins or aments; NOT [flowers not in catkins or aments]
	seeds each with a tuft of hairs; NOT [seeds without a tuft of hairs]