Salix mucronata Thunb.
S. subserrata Willd.
Eng.: Willow. Spa.: Sauce. Fre.: Saule. Ara.: Safsaaf.
Shrub or tree up to 8 m in height, deciduous, highly branched, with reddish to black stems, grooved; branches widespread and pendant. Leaves lanceolate, glabrous when adult, light green on the upper side, paler on the underside, sometimes glaucescent, 1.5-8(12) × 0.5-2 cm (larger on younger branches), from acute to longly accuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, with serrulate margin, without glands in the area where the petiole joins the limb. Petiole 0.5-1.5 cm, sometimes reddish, glabrous or somewhat pubescent; stipules semi-cordate. Inflorescences in terminal aments; male aments with sessile flowers, with (5)7-9(10) stamens; female aments 1.5-3 cm long, with flowers with 2 nectaries. Fruit in capsule, green-yellowish, ovoid, 5-6 mm, glabrous, on a stipe up to 3.5 mm. Seeds with long tuft of hairs.
Flowering:
February to April.
Fruiting:
April to June.
Habitat:
Margins of rivers, wadis and irrigation canals; planted on some occasions.
Distribution:
Western Asia and tropical Africa, and penetrates to the northern region of the continent and even the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and NE Libya.
Observations:
In some studies up to 3 subspecies are recognised, but their ranges overlap creating a doubt about their validity. If recognised, the North African subspecies would be the type subspecies.
Conservation status:
Relatively common and widespread species. It is not considered threatened. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.