Unryu willow - Unryu willow

A deciduous tall tree of the Salicaceae family (APG classification: Salicaceae). Its branches are twisted and bent, and tend to droop slightly. The mature leaves are narrowly lanceolate, undulating up and down, and have fine serrated edges. The young leaves have silky hairs, but the mature leaves are hairless, and the undersides are powdery white. Dioecious. From spring to early summer, the leaves produce flower spikes about 2 cm long. The male spikes are longer. The male flowers have two stamens, and the female flowers have one glandular body on each side. The ovary is hairless and has almost no stalk or style. Native to China, it is cultivated for ornamental purposes, and there are more male trees. The parent species, the Pekin willow, does not grow naturally in Japan, and the branches are not bent or twisted. It is sometimes considered a cultivated variety of weeping willow.

[Sadao Sugaya July 21, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ヤナギ科（APG分類：ヤナギ科）の落葉高木。枝がよじれ屈曲し、やや垂れ下がる特性がある。成葉は狭披針(きょうひしん)形で上下にうねり、縁(へり)に細鋸歯(さいきょし)がある。若葉には絹毛があるが成葉では無毛、裏面は粉白色。雌雄異株。春から初夏にかけて、葉とともに長さ2センチメートル前後の花穂を出す。雄穂のほうが長い。雄花は雄しべ2本、雌花とともに腺体(せんたい)は背腹それぞれ1個ある。子房は無毛で柄(え)も花柱もほとんどない。中国原産で観賞用に栽植され、雄木のほうが多い。母種のペキンヤナギも日本には自生せず、枝は屈曲せずよじれない。シダレヤナギの栽培品種とされることもある。

［菅谷貞男　2020年7月21日］

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