General:
Dioecious shrubs, 1.2-1.8 m tall, not colonial; branches erect, flexible at base; twigs yellow-brown, smooth.

Leaves:
Alternate, simple, narrowly elliptic, 3-6 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, lower surface glaucous, smooth; upper surface shiny, smooth, margins entire, bases rounded to pointed, tips pointed; leaf stalks without glandular dots at top; stipules 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; stamens 2; ovaries 1, smooth or hairy; styles 0.6-0.8 mm long.

Fruits:
Capsules which split open to release the seeds, each of which is surrounded by a tuft of hairs; stalks 0.4-1.2 mm long. vol5_2

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