Populus nigra 'Italica'
Erect, narrow-crowned tree to c. 40 m high; bark dull grey, fissured; young shoots glabrous or glabrescent. Buds ovoid, viscid. Leaves deltoid-ovate to rhombic, 5–12 cm long, often slightly wider than long, glabrous, slightly discolorous, usually lustrous above; apex acuminate; base broadly cuneate to truncate; margins serrate with gland-tipped teeth. Plants apparently male only. Catkins appearing before leaves, rather lax, 3–5 cm long; catkin-scales c. orbicular, 1–2 mm long, deeply laciniate; stamens 12–20, anthers crimson. Flowers spring.
VVP, VRiv, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz. Noted as naturalised (in undisturbed riparian vegetation) along the upper Genoa River (presumably from branchlets carried by the river from farmlands far upstream), but commonly observed along watercourses through agricultural areas (e.g. Yarra River near Melbourne, upper Murray River); such trees may be either naturalised or deliberately planted.
Spinning