Authors: Pall.  

Botanical Description

Procumbent and mat-forming, with gnarled rooting branches up to 50cm long spreading from a short central trunk. Leaves thick-textured, ovate to obovate, 15-50 X 10-25mm, blunt-tipped, cuneate, petiole 5-10mm, upper surface dark green, paler and reticulate-veined below. Catkins to 5cm long, terminal on short laterals appearing with or slightly before leaves, cylindrical, scales broad obovate dark red to cinnamon with white hairs. A plant of the arctic tundra, found in arctic Europe, Asia and North America it also ascends above the tree line in its more southerly mountain stations, the Altai and northern Urals. Not in general cultivation but its prostrate habit, large erect showy catkins and well formed leaves make it a most desirable species.