Cataphylls (leaf primordia in the bud that may later end up as reduced leaves at base of shoot) are densely sericeous (covered by long silky hairs) as in S. alba but narrow as in S. lucida. In S. lucida cataphylls are elongate, while in S. pentandra, S. serissima, S. euxina, S. alba and hybrids (S. ×fragilis), the outermost cataphyll is very broad, oval or nearly round, embracing the entire bud content in mature buds. In S. pentandra and S. serissima the outermost cataphylls are glabrous on both sides, though with trichomes at margin.