Part 62

b. Twigs, petioles and lower sides of leaves pubescent. F. pennsylvanica, p. 215.

bb. Twigs, petioles and lower sides of leaves essentially glabrous.

c. Twigs prominently 4-angled. F. quadrangulata, p. 219.

cc. Twigs terete.

d. Lower sides of leaves essentially of the same color as the upper; leaflet-margins rather finely sharp-serrate. F. pennsylvanica lanceolata, p. 217.

dd. Lower sides of leaves paler than the upper; leaflet-margins entire or obscurely serrate. F. americana, p. 213.

WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES OF FRAXINUS

a. Twigs prominently 4-angled; fruit falling in early autumn. F. quadrangulata, p. 219.

aa. Twigs terete; fruit often persistent on the tree until mid-winter or the following spring.

b. Buds rusty-tomentose; twigs more or less downy. F. pennsylvanica, p. 215.

bb. Buds not tomentose; twigs not downy.

c. Terminal bud black or nearly so, showing 3 pairs of scales in cross-section; bud-scales apiculate at the apex; samaras with broad wings, the seed portion flattish; bark flaky, rubbing off on the hand. F. nigra, p. 221.

cc. Terminal bud brownish, showing 4 pairs of scales in cross-section; bud-scales rounded at the apex; samaras with narrow wings, the seed portion terete; bark ridged, not flaky and rubbing off on the hand.

d. Upper margin of leaf-scars deeply concave. F. americana, p. 213.

dd. Upper margin of leaf-scars not concave, but straight across or projecting upward. F. pennsylvanica lanceolata, p. 217.

1. Winter twig, × 1. 2. Leaf, × 1/4. 3. Staminate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 4. Staminate flower, enlarged. 5. Pistillate flowering branchlet, × 1/2. 6. Pistillate flower, enlarged. 7. Fruit, × 1.]

+OLEACEAE+

+White Ash+

Fraxinus americana L.

HABIT.--A large tree 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet; forming an open, pyramidal crown of long, slender, lateral branches and a stout, rather sparse spray.

LEAVES.--Opposite, pinnately compound, 8-12 inches long. Leaflets usually 7-9, 3-5 inches long, 1-2 inches broad; short-stalked; ovate to oblong-lanceolate; entire or obscurely serrate; thick and firm; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath. Petioles glabrous, stout, grooved.

FLOWERS.--May, before the leaves; dioecious; borne in loose panicles on shoots of the previous season; calyx campanulate, 4-lobed; corolla 0; stamens 2, rarely 3; ovary 2-celled.

FRUIT.--August-September, persistent on the branches until mid-winter or the following spring; samaras 1-2 inches long, in crowded, drooping, paniculate clusters 6-8 inches long.

WINTER-BUDS.--Short, rather obtuse; bud-scales apiculate, keeled, 4 pairs, rusty-brown.

BARK.--Twigs at first dark green, becoming gray or light brown, often covered with a glaucous bloom; gray, deeply furrowed into firm, narrow, flattened ridges on the trunk.

WOOD.--Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough, brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Of common occurrence throughout the state.

HABITAT.--Prefers a rich, moist, loamy soil, but grows in any well-drained situation; common along stream-beds.