Salix gooddingii

 Salix gooddingii (Goodding's black willow) ( )

Salicaceae

  • Black willow is tree with a prominent main trunk. It has leaves with a similar green color on both surfaces. It can be a large tree and reach heights up to 100 feet. This is a riparian willow that forms riparian thickets. Willows lose their leaves during winter months. While it may seem strange to have such moisture-loving species in the desert, the presence of a relatively permanent flow or groundwater pool of available freshwater provides conditions well suited for growth. So long as water is available, high summer temperatures present little or no threat.  "California Desert Plants, Philip W Runder, Robert J Gustafson, Michael E Kauffmann."
  • Tree to 12 m. tall with rough bark, the branchlets pubescent; stipules often glandular above; petioles 6-10 mm. long; blades narrowly lanceolate-attenuate, finely glandular-serrulate, gray-green on both sides; staminate catkins 4-8 cm. long, the stamens 3-5, the filaments free; pistillate catkins 4-8 cm. long, on leafy branchlets; capsule ovoid-attenuate, pilose when young, become glabrate. Swamps and stream courses: at low altitudes throughout California; east and south to Nevada, Arizona and Baja California. The common black willow, distinguished by its gray, narrow, lanceolate-attenuate leaves and 3-5 free stamens. "A Flora of the Marshes of California. Herbert L. Mason".
  • Due to the absence of perennial rivers or streams in the region, willows occur at only a few highly localized sites. Limited numbers of willow grow at water holes, at the south end of Tiburon Island and along irrigation ditches in the farming areas between Kino Bay and Hermosillo. Firewood: although it was much inferior quality, the willow was used as firewood. Hunting and Fishing; temporary rafts were made of willow driftwood. The poles were lashed or tied together with rope made from mesquite roots. The raft was used locally and then abandoned, although the mesquite cord was saved. These rafts were generally used for hunting sea turtles during the warmer months. Shelter: the wood was used for house posts and beams. Transport: yokes for carrying bundles of firewood were made from willow. These carrying yokes were said to be larger than those used for carrying water vessels. "People of the Desert and Sea, Ethnobotany of the Seri Indians".

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