Salix geyeriana
Encyclopedia
Salix geyeriana is a species of willow
known by the common names Geyer's willow, Geyer willow and silver willow. The type specimen was collected by the botanist Karl Andreas Geyer
, for whom it was named. Its conspicuous, yellow flowers begin to bloom as early as March, to as late as the end of June.
growing up to 5 meters tall, sometimes forming dense colonial thickets. The leaves are narrowly or widely lance-shaped and may grow over 7 centimeters long. Young leaves are coated in white or pale silky hairs, and some adult leaves retain their hairy textures. The leaves generally lack stipule
s or have only vestigial ones. The inflorescence
is a spherical or slightly elongated catkin
usually not more than about 2 centimeters long.
This species reproduces sexually
by seed as well as vegetatively
, by sprouting from the stem, or sections of the stem, which contains early root structures that readily sprout when buried in moist substrate.
s.
in southern British Columbia
; through the states of Washington; central Idaho
; western Montana
and Wyoming
; eastern Oregon
; Nevada
; and northern Utah
; to southern and western Colorado
; through central California
; eastern and central Arizona
; and western New Mexico
. It is found in the Great Basin
region, and in the mountains in the High Cascades, the Rockies
, the northern and southern High Sierra Nevada, and the San Bernardino Mountains
. Populations are especially dense over the Kern Plateau.
The most widely distributed natural hybrid is S. geyeriana × S. lemmonii. It is known from British Columbia (in the vicinity of Victoria
), Oregon (in Jefferson
and Lane
counties), and California (in Lassen
and Sierra
counties).
Hybrids with S. bebbiana are known from Montana (collected from Beaverhead
county); those with S. pedicellaris are known from Washington state; and those with S. irrorata and S. ligulifolia are known from Arizona.
(Alces alces) and elk
(Cervus canadensis) in all seasons, but is essential during winter.
Grouse
(Phasianidae subf. Tetraoninae), duck
s (Anatidae), and other small birds, and small mammals regularly consume the buds, catkins, shoots, and leaves of G. geyeriana; and it is one of many Salix species used in the construction of beaver dam
s for North American beavers (Castor canadensis).
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
known by the common names Geyer's willow, Geyer willow and silver willow. The type specimen was collected by the botanist Karl Andreas Geyer
Karl Andreas Geyer
Karl Andreas Geyer was a German botanist who was a native of Dresden.As a teenager, Geyer worked as an apprentice-gardener in Zabeltitz, and in 1830 became an assistant at the botanical gardens in Dresden. From 1835 to 1844 he performed botanical studies on several expeditions within the United...
, for whom it was named. Its conspicuous, yellow flowers begin to bloom as early as March, to as late as the end of June.
Description
Salix geyeriana is a shrubShrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing up to 5 meters tall, sometimes forming dense colonial thickets. The leaves are narrowly or widely lance-shaped and may grow over 7 centimeters long. Young leaves are coated in white or pale silky hairs, and some adult leaves retain their hairy textures. The leaves generally lack stipule
Stipule
In botany, stipule is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk...
s or have only vestigial ones. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a spherical or slightly elongated catkin
Catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated but sometimes insect pollinated . They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged closely along a central stem which is often drooping...
usually not more than about 2 centimeters long.
This species reproduces sexually
Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the creation of a new organism by combining the genetic material of two organisms. There are two main processes during sexual reproduction; they are: meiosis, involving the halving of the number of chromosomes; and fertilization, involving the fusion of two gametes and the...
by seed as well as vegetatively
Vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. It is a process by which new individuals arise without production of seeds or spores...
, by sprouting from the stem, or sections of the stem, which contains early root structures that readily sprout when buried in moist substrate.
Habitat
S. geyeriana grows in moist and wet habitat types, such as lakesides, riverbanks, and bogBog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
s.
Distribution
S. geyeriana is native to western North America. It is distributed from western CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in southern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
; through the states of Washington; central Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
; western Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
; eastern Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
; Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
; and northern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
; to southern and western Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
; through central California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
; eastern and central Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
; and western New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. It is found in the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
region, and in the mountains in the High Cascades, the Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, the northern and southern High Sierra Nevada, and the San Bernardino Mountains
San Bernardino Mountains
The San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
. Populations are especially dense over the Kern Plateau.
Hybrids
The lack of stipules and small, stubby catkins help identify this species; however, it easily hybridizes with many other willows in the wild, the daughter plants differing in morphology.The most widely distributed natural hybrid is S. geyeriana × S. lemmonii. It is known from British Columbia (in the vicinity of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
), Oregon (in Jefferson
Jefferson County, Oregon
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oregon. In 2010, its population was 21,720. It is named after Mount Jefferson. The seat of the county is Madras.-History:...
and Lane
Lane County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge *Siuslaw National Forest *Umpqua National Forest *Willamette National Forest -Government:...
counties), and California (in Lassen
Lassen County, California
Lassen County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,895, up from 33,828 at the 2000 census...
and Sierra
Sierra County, California
Sierra County is a county located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, northeast of Sacramento on the border with Nevada. As of the 2010 census the population was 3,240, down from 3,555 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Downieville....
counties).
Hybrids with S. bebbiana are known from Montana (collected from Beaverhead
Beaverhead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:...
county); those with S. pedicellaris are known from Washington state; and those with S. irrorata and S. ligulifolia are known from Arizona.
Wildlife value
G. geyeriana is browsed in the wild by mooseMoose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
(Alces alces) and elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
(Cervus canadensis) in all seasons, but is essential during winter.
Grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
(Phasianidae subf. Tetraoninae), duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s (Anatidae), and other small birds, and small mammals regularly consume the buds, catkins, shoots, and leaves of G. geyeriana; and it is one of many Salix species used in the construction of beaver dam
Beaver dam
Beaver dams are dams built by beavers as protection against predators such as coyotes, wolves, and bears, and to provide easy access to food during winter. Beavers work at night and are prolific builders, carrying mud and stones with their fore-paws and timber between their teeth...
s for North American beavers (Castor canadensis).