Chapters 6.25
6.25 - The diamond-leave willow (Salix phylicifolia)
Alanna Starcevic , University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Starcevic,A. (2022) Greens, Fleshy Stems and Gourds. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Description
Depending on the classification system and the specific identification characteristics, the diamond-leaf willow, Salix phylicifolia, goes by different names (Canadaensys, 2010; NBN Atlas, 2021; United States Department of Agriculture, 2014). As such, the common name is most often interchanged with the tea-leave willow (Aiken et al., 2007). According to the United States Department of Agriculture (2014), the taxonomical classification places phylicifolia within the species of Salix pulchra, with the common name tea-leaf and of Salix planifolia with the common name diamond-leaf. However, the Database of Vascular Plants in Canada (VASCAN) (2010) recognizes Salix pulchra and Salix planifolia as species within the section of Salix phylicifolia. While the National Biodiversity Network atlas (NBN Atlas, 2021) defines the Salix phylicifolia as its own species. The most consistent description and identification of the diamond-leaf willow is that of a shrub varying in size of roughly from 10-450cm (Aiken et al., 2007). The leaves do not have hair like features, giving them a smooth texture (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). They are two-toned, having a darker green on the top of the leaf compared to the bottom and can have an edge that is smooth or serrated. The bark is smooth, taking on a colour that is both red and brown (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). The plants have either the male catkins or the female carpels, a single plant cannot have both (Aiken et al., 2007). The male catkins are small flowers that grow together forming long collections that extend out from the branchlets (Aiken et al., 2007). The carpels are hairy female flower structures that collect the pollen released by the male catkins and use it for fertilization and seed production (Aiken et al., 2007).
Geography, Ecology and Distribution
The shrub grows in slopes and wet thickets throughout northern Canada and Alaska (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). Specifically, they are found in the Yukon, continental Northwest Territories, Nunavut Islands, continental Nunavut, and northern Quebec (Aiken et al, 2007). They can also be found in the mountains of British Columbia through to Alberta (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). According to the VASCAN, the plant is native to all of Canada (Canadensys, 2010). Willow species respond differently to different habitats and ecological regions. However, many seem to thrive in environments that are unfavorable to woody trees (Raiho et al., 2022). This is because they need direct sunlight to grow (Collet, 2002). When they are surrounded by taller trees, branches and leaves cast shade over them, and they cannot get enough of the sunlight (Collet, 2002). The Salix pulchra covers a larger number of places because it can handle the cooler temperatures and low pH soils with higher amounts of organic matter (Raiho et al., 2022). Salix phylicifolia are very quick to sprout in areas damaged by fires (Raiho et al., 2022). In a study, it was found that they grew twice as much in soils with ash then soils that were fertilized with potassium and phosphorous (Huotori, Tillman-Sutela, Kauppi, & Kubin, 2007).
Associated Indigenous Peoples
The Canadian Inuit now live in the Inuit Nunangat which is made up of four regions (Canadian Geographic, 2018). These regions are the Nunatsiavut, the Northern coastal region of Labrador, Nunavik, Northern Quebec, the territory of Nunavut and the Inuvialuit in the Northwest Territories (Canadian Geographic, 2018). Figure 2 is a map of the Inuit Nunangat (Canadian Geographic, 2018). The first peoples to inhabit the arctic were those that migrated across the Bering Strait land bridge by foot and by boat (Canadian Geographic, 2018; Condon, 1996). The peoples slowly migrated north along the Seward Peninsula until they settled along the northern Alaskan coast. The people’s ability to adapt their way of life to inhabit the frozen marine landscapes became a significant distinguishing aspect of their culture. In this time whale hunting was very prominent and it most likely that the people followed the whales as they travelled south-east to warmer waters in Canada. These would have been the first people to inhabit Canada’s arctic. As groups spread out along the region, the people became increasingly dependent on game animals, fore the arctic wasteland made hunting an easier option. Caribou and musk oxen would have been their main food sources. In these areas, many species of willow shrubs would have been prominent, existing in these wet and warmer conditions (Condon, 1996). These willows would have been significant sources of vegetations for the Caribou and oxen (Collet, 2002).
As temperatures began to cool many of these people were not able to survive the harsher climate as caribou and musk oxen populations dwindled (Condon, 1996). As such, many moved south. Those that adapted to these conditions came to be known as the Dorset peoples who had remained along the coastlines and depended on marine life, specifically seals for food. However, by about 1000 AD, the Dorset populations dwindled out. There was another change in climate, but this time it was a period of drastic warming. It is believed that the Dorset peoples were unable to adapt to the major melting of the sea ice that they survived on. It is also around this time that the Thule people began to appear (Condon, 1996).
The Thule people had originally settled along the northern coast of Alaska where they had become famously proficient at hunting large bowhead whales (Condon, 1996). They were the first to develop the float harpoon. Therefore, as large amounts of sea ice melted, greater amounts of waters opened in central and eastern zones of northern Canada, into which the Bowhead whales migrated. The Thule people followed their food into Canada, establishing settlements all along the Arctic and into Greenland and Labrador, very similar to the people that came before them. It is these people that gave raise to the Inuit communities that we have today. As establishment occurred, throughout northern Canada and knowledge of the land grew. Many cultures took to gathering and foraging in addition to hunting. As such, the native willow trees and shrubs would have become increasingly significant to the lives of the people as their many uses were discovered (Collet, 2002; Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991).
Historical/Cultural Background
Many plants of the Salix family have been used by many ancient cultures as natural medicines to treat various conditions (Mahdi, 2010). The leaves and the barks of the willow shrubs were used to relieve joint pains, inflammation, and fevers. Salicin, the name derived from salix itself, is a white powder that forms in the leaves and barks of willows. Salicin lead to the development of salicyl alcohol, which in turn lead to salicylic acid and finally developed into the findings of acetylsalicylic acid which is now commonly known as aspirin (Mahdi, 2010). More commonly the plants were eaten by the Canadian Inuit who would harvest and utilize the shoots, buds and leaves of the shrub (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). The new shoots can be eaten once peeled and do not need to be cooked. The raw buds are dressed with seal or fish oil so that they can be kept for longer. The leaves are harvested in the spring before they get too big and develop a stronger flavor (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). Many willow trees produce specific chemicals that make them taste bitter and this bitterness gets stronger the older the shrub gets. The diamond-leaf willow is no exception, but its bitterness is lower compared to other species of willow (Collet, 2002). They can be made into soup, canned, dried or eaten raw as they are (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991).
The branches of willow trees are very pliable especially the younger branches (Collet, 2002). These branches were used for wicker weaving things like baskets and snowshoes. This would have been a very valuable skill due to its practical uses as well as its impact on trading (Collet, 2002).
References
1.Aiken, S.G., et al. (2007). Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Retrieved from https://nature.ca/aaflora/data/www/wlsapl.htm
2.Canadensys, (2010). Salix sect. Phylicifoliae. Retrieved from https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/taxon/2308
3.Canadian Geographic. (2018). Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. Retrieved from https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/inuvialuit-settlement-region/
4.Canadian Geographic. (2018). Map of the Nunavut and Nunavil regions [map]. Retrieved from https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/article/inuvialuit-settlement-region/
5.Collet, D. M. (Ed.). (2002). Willows of southcentral Alaska. Retrieved from http://web.acsalaska.net/~kenaiwatershed.forum/Willow_Guide_part_I.pdf
6.Condon, R. G. (1996). The northern Copper Inuit. Toronto ON : University of Toronto Press Incorporated
7.Huotari N., Tillman-Sutela E., Kauppi A., Kubin E. (2007). Fertilization ensures rapid formation of ground vegetation on cut-away peatlands. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 37(5). doi: 10.1139/X06-29
8.Kuhnlein, H.V., & Turner, N.J. (Ed.). (1991). Traditional plant foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples. Amsterdam, NL: Gordan and Breach Science Publishers.
9.Mahdi, J. G. (2010). Medicinal potential of willow: a chemical perspective of aspirin discovery. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society, 14(3), 317-322. doi: 10.1016/j.jscs.2010.04.010 NBN atlas. (2021). Salix phylicifolia L. Tea-leaved willow. Retrieved from https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000003876#classification
10.Raiho A.M., Scharf H.R., Roland C.A., Swanson D.K., Stehn S.E., Hooten M.B. (2022). Searching for refuge: A framework for identifying site factors conferring resistance to climate-driven vegetation change. Diversity and Distributions, 28(4), 793-809. doi: 10.1111/ddi.13492
11.United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). Salix planifolia Pursh ssp. Planifolia. Retrieved from https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=SAPLP4
12.United States Department of Agriculture. (2014). Salix pulchra Cham. Retrieved from https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=SAPU15