About Salix canariensis C.Sm. ex Link
Salix canariensis, previously treated as Salix pedicellata subsp. canariensis, is a taxon within a species group that is very variable in overall appearance. Plants in this group grow as shrubs or small trees, reaching up to 6–8 m in height. The trunk can grow up to 1.4 m long, but is typically shorter. Twigs are dark brown; they are initially covered in short, dense hairs (tomentose), and become hairless (glabrous) as they mature. When bark is stripped from a twig, prominent longitudinal ridges or lines are visible on the exposed inner surface. Leaves are roughly oblong in shape, measuring 4–16 cm long and 1–5 cm wide. The upper leaf surface is green, while the lower surface is greyish with prominent visible veins. Plants flower in early spring; in their native range, flowering occurs from February to April. Male catkins are usually densely flowered, and are 2–4 cm long. Female catkins are less dense, with the stem typically visible between flowers, and are slightly longer at 5–8 cm. Both male and female flowers have a single nectary. Seeds are black to olive in colour, cylindrical in shape, and measure about 1.25 mm long by 0.5 mm wide. Salix pedicellata subsp. pedicellata is native to regions around the Mediterranean: in Europe, it occurs in Portugal, Spain, Sicily, mainland Greece, and Crete, with an uncertain recorded presence in mainland Italy; in western North Africa, it occurs in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia; and in Western Asia, it occurs in the East Aegean Islands, Turkey, and Lebanon-Syria. This subspecies has been introduced to Ethiopia. Salix pedicellata subsp. canariensis, which is recognized as the separate species Salix canariensis C.Sm. ex Link, is native to Madeira and the Canary Islands.
