Leaves lanceolate (several times longer than wide, but not to the point of linear, with the widest part toward the base) to oblong-lanceolate (like lanceolate, but the sides of the leaf are parallel). Leaves glabrous (smooth- surfaced) yellow-green above, paler underneath, pinnately veined (veins branching off from the main axis of the leaf), ~5-12 cm long, ~1.5-3 cm wide, usually widest in lower half of leaf, very acute tip, though base is less acute and may be rounded. Leaves not glandular or sticky but petioles might be. Petioles are ≤1 cm long. Margins are very finely serrated. Deciduous. This species is dioecious, with male and female flowers segregated on different plants. They flower from March to May in the form of male catkins (dangling spike-like single-sexed flower clusters) with yellow anthers (pollen-bearing structures on stamens) and female catkins usually ~3-10 cm long. The flowers usually appear with the leaves or shortly after they come out. The fruit is a glabrous cluster of capsules ~3-5 cm long containing many tiny seeds. The plant itself is a tree from 5-15 m tall, with rough dark brown bark, thin red to yellow-brown twigs, and it favors locations by streams, springs, or seeps under 1,700 m. It is found throughout California, except in the Colorado Desert and the Modoc Plateau, and in neighboring states and Mexico.
Salix laevigata (Salicaceae): red willow or polished willow
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography, introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various editions of this key.