Dioecious, mostly deciduous, trees and shrubs, rarely prostrate subshrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, usually petiolate, stipulate, entire or variously toothed or lobed. Flowers unisexual, in spicate or racemose catkin, erect or pendulous. Each flower subtended by a bract. Bracteoles 0. Perianth 0. Disk cupulate or 1 or 2 (rarely 3) nectariferous glands. Male Flowers: Stamens 2 or more; filaments filiform, usually free, sometimes united (partially or completely); anthers bithecous (or tetrathecous), dehiscence longitudinal. Female Flowers: Pistil 1, sessile or stipitate; ovary superior, 1- or 2-locular, parietal placentation with 2-4 parietal or sometimes subbasal placenta, usually with many ovules; style short or 0; stigmas notched or lobed. Fruit an ovoid or lanceolate, 2-4 valved capsule, seeds many, small, with long silky hairs.

2 (or 3) genera and 530 species

Salix tetrasperma