Salix mucronata (commonly called the Cape silver willow or Safsaf willow) is a tall, graceful, Semi-Deciduous willow tree. It grows along riverbanks in South Africa, and is used for a wide range of traditional medicines.
The Cape willow is dioecious (separate male and female trees).[2][3]

Salix mucronata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Salicaceae
Genus: Salix
Species:
S. mucronata
Binomial name
Salix mucronata
Synonyms

Salix hirsuta
Salix capensis
Salix safsaf

Taxonomy edit

This variable-looking species was previously subdivided into a number of different species. These have now all been downgraded to just being subspecies of Salix mucronata. These subspecies include:

  • S. m. hirsuta (silver willow)
  • S. m. mucronata (Safsaf willow)
  • S. m. woodii (flute willow)
  • S. m. capensis (small-leaved willow)

[4]

References edit

  1. ^ Ali, M. & Rivers, M.C. (2023). "Salix mucronata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2023: e.T164473A192092543. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T164473A192092543.en. Retrieved 11 April 2024.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Salix mucronata | PlantZAfrica.com". www.plantzafrica.com. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  3. ^ Davy, Joseph Burtt (1922). "The Distribution and Origin of Salix in South Africa". Journal of Ecology. 10 (1): 62–86. doi:10.2307/2255431. JSTOR 2255431.
  4. ^ "Salix mucronata (Silver willow)". www.biodiversityexplorer.org. Retrieved 2017-08-01.