Salix purpurea × S. viminalis × S. cinerea (S. × forbyana Sm.),
Fine Osier

Introduced, deliberately planted, very rare.

1948; MCM & D; Lough Aguse, Tullygerravra Td.

May to August.

Meikle (1984) states that until 1959 he had only seen female plants of this erect vigorous hybrid and that males are very rare indeed. The true nature of this hybrid is still a bit of a puzzle, but it appears to be the product of three parents: the native S. cinerea var. oleifolia (probably?) (Grey Willow) crossed with two alien, archaeophyte basket osiers, S. purpurea (Purple Willow) and S. viminalis (Osier). The hybrid is thus a relict of basket-cane cultivation and most likely arose from a cross between S. × rubra (Green-leaved Willow) and S. cinerea (Stace et al. 2015). It first came to scientific notice in the very early years of the 19th century, although probably it was familiar to willow growers well before 1804 when Sir James Smith described and named it after Rev. Joseph Forby who had brought it to his attention. According to Smith it was locally known as, 'Fine basket osier', but when it was subsequently introduced to osier-beds on the Thames it proved too coarse for fine basket-work (Bean 1980). Really fine baskets are capable of holding water like a bucket.

The current author has no idea when this hybrid was introduced to Fermanagh, but the fact that it is also found in three other VCs in NI and that the New Atlas map plots it in a total of 29 hectads and Stace et al. (2015) likewise in 34 hectads in this corner of Ireland, shows that it is by no means isolated. This hybrid is particularly well represented in Co Antrim (H39), around Ballymena and Clough Mills (Hackney et al. 1992).