FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Salix callicarpaea, bluish willow

Salix callicarpaea (also known as S. glauca ssp. callicarpaea); the bluish willow is a common low shrub which can be found in all heathers both in lowland but also in the highlands and mountains. In sheltered areas it can gorow up to 2 meter tall but that is a rare appearance (I saw such shrubs at Þorsmörk). It is a dioecious shrub, the opening photo depicts female catkins. The male catkins can be either yellowish or red-colored. This (sub-) species is an Amercan species that - to my knowledge - is not found elsewhere in Europe. "Callicarpaea" means "with pretty fruits". This species is also named greyleaf willow and broad leaved willow.
It can be identified from the other common willow shrubs by the fact that it is hairy on the bottom side of the leaves and along the leave margins, where S. lanata (woolly willow) is hairy on all sides of the leaves and young stems and S. phylicifolia (Tea-leaved Willow) has no hairs.
Salix callicarpaea, bluish willow is a member of the willow family (Salicaceae).

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