Willow Family (Salicaceae) - Biology Of Willows, Species Of Willows, Economic And Ecological Importance Of Willows
taller woody plants diverse
Willows are a diverse group of about 300 species of woody angiosperm plants in the genus Salix, family Salicaceae. Willows are widely dispersed and occur on all continents except Antarctica, but they are most diverse in cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
All willows are woody plants, but the species vary greatly in size. Some species of willows are trees that can grow taller than 49 ft (15 m), while others are dwarf shrubs of the tundra that never get any taller than a few centimeters.
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Willows have simple, slender leaves, alternately arranged on the twigs, and with toothed or entire margins. The foliage of willows is seasonally deciduous, being shed in the autumn. Willow plants are dioecious, meaning that particular individuals bear either male or female flowers but not both. Both types of flowers usually produce nectar so that pollination is by insects. The flowers of willows a…
More than 100 species of willows are native to North America. Most of these are shrubs or dwarf shrubs, but about forty species reach tree size. Willow species commonly hybridize with each other and this, along with their relatively great richness of species, can make some of the willows difficult to identify. Some of the more common species of willow that can attain the size of trees include the …
Many species of willows are important ecologically. Willows are often species of early succession, and they are important in the early and middle stages of successional recovery after disturbance. Willows are commonly an important browse of mammals such as deer, moose, rabbits, hares, and other species, especially during the winter when herbaceous forage is not very available. Tree-sized willows a…
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User Comments
about 1 year ago
i love you willow