Salix serissima
 
Autumn Willow

Fruiting Catkin in Autumn

Fire Guard Road, 4.5 Miles North of Hudson Bay
31-Oct-2017

This photo was taken by Dave Biggs of Hudson Bay. Note the fruiting catkins are retained on branches well into the fall.

bullet

Serissima: 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
bullet

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]

bullet

Low to tall shrubs or trees; not confined to subarctic regions.  NOT [Dwarf shrubs <= 0.15 m (15 cm) tall; subarctic regions]

bullet

Shrubs, usually with several stems; ovaries glabrous or hairy.   NOT  [Trees, with a single trunk, or with several trunks of tree stature; ovaries glabrous]

bullet

NOT [Plants flowering as leaves emerge or throughout the season, often bearing branched catkins; leaf blades linear or strap-shaped, 9 – 14 – 24 times longer than wide, up to 11 mm wide with margins remotely spinulose-serrulate, the teeth widely spaced; hairs on leaves white, ferruginous hairs lacking; plants forming extensive colonies by root shoots]

bullet

Petioles with glandular dots or lobes at distal end; floral bracts pale tawny, 1.2 – 4 mm, conspicuous during flowering, deciduous after flowering. NOT  [Petioles without glandular dots or lobes at distal end, or with occasional, inconspicuous dots; floral bracts not as above, if conspicuous and pale, then not deciduous.]

bullet

Catkins stout to globose; fruiting catkins firm and retained on branches until late summer to early fall when the seed is shed; leaf blades 43 – 90 mm, upper and lower surfaces glabrous, apices usually acuminate, sometimes caudate or acute; lower surfaces of juvenile leaf blades glabrous; petioles glabrous; stipules on early and late leaves absent or rudimentary. NOT [Catkins slender to stout or subglobose; fruiting catkins not typically retained on branches throughout the summer; leaf blades 55 – 180 mm, upper and lower surfaces glabrous or hairy, apices caudate or acuminate; lower surfaces of juvenile leaf blades glabrous or hairy with white or some ferruginous hairs; petioles glabrous, pilose or villous; stipules on early leaves foliaceous or rudimentary, on late leaves foliaceous, (sometimes early deciduous on Salix lucida but stipules scars should be visible).]

 

bullet

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
bullet

shrubs or trees; NOT [trees]

bullet

buds covered by 1 scale; NOT  [buds covered by 3-10 scales]

bullet

buds scale not resinous; NOT [bud scale usually resinous]

bullet

catkins sessile or terminating flowering branchlets; NOT [catkins sessile]

bullet

catkins erect, spreading, or +/- pendulous; NOT [catkins pendulous]

bullet

floral bracts entire, erose, bifid, or irregularly toothed; NOT [floral bracts deeply cut]

bullet

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]

bullet

stamens 1, 2, or 3 – 10; NOT [stamens 6 – 60 (70)]

bullet

capsules obclavate to ovoid or ellipsoid; NOT [capsules narrowly ovoid to spherical, with the floral disc persistent at base]

bullet

capsules 2-valved; NOT [capsules 2 - 4 valved]

 

bullet

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

shrubs or trees; NOT [herbs]

bullet

flowers with only one floral ring, with sepals but not petals

bullet

male flowers, at least, in catkins or aments; NOT [flowers not in catkins or aments]

bullet

seeds each with a tuft of hairs; NOT [seeds without a tuft of hairs]