General:
Dioecious shrubs, 1-5 m tall, not colonial; branches erect, flexible at base; twigs red- to yellow-brown, sparsely hairy or smooth.

Leaves:
Alternate, simple, strap-shaped to narrowly oblong, 4-8.5 cm long, 0.8-2.5 cm wide, lower surface not glaucous, smooth or hairy when young, hairs white and rust-coloured, upper surface highly glossy, smooth or hairy when young, margins toothed or entire, bases rounded to wedge-shaped, tips pointed; leaf stalks without glandular dots at top; stipules rudimentary or leaflike.

Flowers:
Unisexual, lacking sepals and petals, borne in catkins which flower as leaves emerge, the catkins stout, on leafy twigs; floral bracts pale, smooth or hairy, hairs wavy; stamens 2; ovaries 1, hairy; styles 0.8-1.2 mm long.

Fruits:
Capsules which split open to release the seeds, each of which is surrounded by a tuft of hairs; stalks 0.8-2 mm long.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia