Coptophyllum fulvum

Description

Salix purpurea (purple willow purpleosier willow or purple osier) is a species of willow native to most of Europe and western Asia north to the British Isles,Poland,and the Baltic States.It is a deciduous shrub growing to 1-3 m (rarely to 5 m) tall,with purple-brown to yellow-brown shoots,turning pale grey on old stems.The leaves are 2-8 cm (rarely to 12 cm) long and 0.3-1 cm (rarely 2 cm) wide;they are dark green above,glaucous green below,and unusually for a willow,are often arranged in opposite pairs rather than alternate.The flowers are small catkins 1.5-4.5 cm long,produced in early spring;they are often purple or red in colour,whence the name of the species (other willows mostly have whitish,yellow or green catkins).