''Salix orestera'' is a species of
willow known by the common name Sierra willow, or gray-leafed Sierra willow. It is native to the
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
of
California and western Nevada, where it grows in moist areas in high mountain
subalpine and
alpine climates. It can also be found in
Oregon.
USDA Plants Profile
/ref>[Flora of North America]
/ref>
Description
''Salix orestera'' is very similar to '' Salix glauca'' and is sometimes included within that species.[ It is a ]shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
reaching one half to two meters tall, bushy with slender branches. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 9.5 centimeters long and often have coatings of silky hairs. The inflorescence is a stout catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated (as in ''Salix''). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged cl ...
of flowers.
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Salix orestera''''Salix orestera'' - Photo gallery
orestera
Alpine flora
Flora of the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Flora of California
Flora of Nevada
Flora of Oregon
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Salicaceae-stub