Salix myricoides

SIMILAR SPECIES: This species is easily confused with other willows, especially with S. eriocephala. S. myricoides has strongly glaucous leaves which are green above and bluish-white beneath. Young leaves typically dry blackish, whereas older leaves retain their bluish hue upon drying along with a characteristic purple hue on midrib and veins. The stems are smooth and yellow-green. The bracts of catkins are dark brown and long-hairy.

TOTAL RANGE: Nfdl. to Ont., s. to ME, PA, OH and IL.

STATE RANGE: There are post-1960 records from Clark, Erie, Greene, Logan and Summit Counties. All current records for the species in Ohio are from fens; the species was formerly known from Cedar Point in Erie County, but is now apparently extirpated from Lake Erie dunes and beaches in Ohio.

STATE STATUS: 1980-1987: Presumed Extirpated, 1988-1989: Endangered, 1990-1991: Threatened, 1992 to present: Potentially Threatened.

HABITAT: Open areas in fens, usually in marl or along streamlets; beaches and dunes along the shores of Lake Erie.

HAZARDS: Destruction of beaches and dunes by trampling or development; overgrowth by woody species in fens as a result of succession.

RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Unknown, but probably good, the preservation and management of fens protects critical habitat for this species.

INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect complete material including pistillate catkins and leaves; note color of leaves upon drying.

COMMENTS: This species once considered extirpated from Ohio has now been discovered after extensive survey work in several fens in west-central Ohio and in one fen in northeastern Ohio (Stine 1989, 1990).

SELECTED REFERENCES:

Argus, G.W. 1964. Preliminary reports on the flora of Wisconsin. No. 51. Salicaceae, the genus Salix - the willows. Trans. Wis. Acad. Sci., Arts and Letters. 53: 217-272.

Braun, E.L. 1961. The woody plants of Ohio. The Ohio State Univ. Press, Columbus OH. 362 pp.

Dorn, R.D. 1975. A systematic study of Salix section Cordatae in North America. Can. J. Bot. 54: 2769-2789.

Soper, J.H. and M.L. Heimburger. 1982. Shrubs of Ontario. Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada. 495 pp.

Stine, S.J., Jr. 1989. Inventory of blue-leaved willow (Salix myricoides) within selected fen preserves. Unpublished report submitted to the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. 9 pp. + Appendix.

Stine, S.J., Jr. 1990. Inventory of blue-leaved willow (Salix myricoides) in northeastern Ohio bogs and fens. Unpublished report submitted to the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves. 7 pp.

Voss, E.G. 1985. Michigan Flora, Part II. Dicots (Saururaceae-Cornaceae). Cranbrook Inst. Sci. Bull. 59, Bloomfield Hills, MI. 724 pp.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

Created: 4/1993 Greg Schneider

Database Code: SPKM.782