Salix petrophila, commonly known as alpine willow and Rocky Mountain willow, is a Northwest American mountain shrub in the willow family (Salicaceae).[1]
It can be found in the subalpine zone and alpine zone of the Sierra Nevada range in wetlands such as moist banks and wet meadows, up to 9900feetto13000feetft (toft).[1]
It is often overlooked because although sprawling and mat-forming, it is very small for a shrub, growing to only 4inches tall.[1]
Leaves are NaNinchestoNaNinchesin (toin) long, elliptic, with soft hairs on the surface when young.[1] The other mat forming Sierra Nevada alpine willow, Salix nivalis, has smaller leaves (NaNinchestoNaNinchesin (toin) that are hairless when young.[1]
Each plant has either all male or all female flowers, with an inflorescence that is a dense, upright catkin, growing to 2inches.[1]
It is pollinated by ants, as are some other willows.[1]