Crack Willow
Salix fragilis
Tree up to 15 m with sparse burly crown, leaves mainly on the edge of crown. Very low branching, branches strong and crooked. Leaf blade is lancet, widest in the bottom part with curved top. Edge of the leaf is gently serrated, face shiny, dark green, the other side of the leaf is hairless with wax film . Petiole is 10-13 mm long. Stipules are lancet, soon deciduous. The fruit are hairless capsules, seeds in them are small with white hair. Capsules usually split to the basis.
Shoots: Shoots square, glabrous and fragible in the nodes.
Natural range: Central and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus; in our area domestic.
Buds
Buds are alternate, covered by one scale, glabrous. The upper part of the scale often drying and becoming black.
Leaves
Leaves are simple. The lamina is lanceolate, broadest in the lower part, the tip of the lamina usually is bent. The lamina is rigid, up to 10 cm long. The margin is serrated. The face is glabrous, glossy, dark green, in youth usually sticky. The underside is coated by grey wax, in maturity glabrous. The petiole is 10-13 mm long. Stipules are lanceolate, mostly fugacious.
Fruits
The fruit are hairless capsules, seeds in them are small with white hair. Capsules usually split to the basis.