Part 58

=Fruit=.—Matures in autumn and persistent into the winter; a 4-celled, 4-winged, dry, drupaceous fruit, 1½-2 inches long, 1 inch wide; greenish turning brown when mature.

=Bark=.—Somewhat roughened by shallow fissures and narrow ridges.

=Wood=.—Light, soft, close-grained, light brown, with thick lighter colored sapwood.

=Range=.—Southern West Virginia to Florida, west to Texas, Arkansas and Illinois.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common along the Great Kanawha and New rivers from the eastern part of Kanawha County through Fayette and Summers counties.

=Habitat=.—Rich slopes and banks of streams.

=Notes=.—The Opossum Wood has two other common names, Snowdrop, and Silver-bell Tree, both names referring to the white bell-shaped flowers. The tree is of no commercial importance here, but is very attractive when planted as an ornament. Variety monticola, with longer leaves and fruit, also occurs with this species.

WHITE ASH

=Fraxinus americana=, L.

=Form=.—Height 50-100 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk usually long and free from branches for many feet; crown pyramidal and open.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, pinnately compound, 8-12 inches long; the 7-9 leaflets 3-5 inches long, ovate or lance-oblong, pointed, nearly or quite entire, glabrous, dark green above, pale and either smooth or pubescent beneath.

=Flowers=.—May; dioecious; the staminate in dense red-purple clusters; the pistillate in loose panicles.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn, and persists into the winter; samaras 1-2 inches long in drooping paniculate clusters.

=Bark=.—Furrowed deeply, the ridges firm, narrow, flattened, brownish-gray.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough and elastic, brown with thick sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia to Minnesota, southward to Florida and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Common throughout the State.

=Habitat=.—Grows in many situations, but prefers rich moist loamy soil.

=Notes=.—The White Ash is one of our valuable timber trees, producing wood which is manufactured into agricultural implements, wagons, furniture, tool handles, and interior finish. It is by far the most common Ash but is nowhere abundant.

RED ASH

=Fraxinus pennsylvanica=, Marsh.

=Form=.—Height 30-65 feet, diameter 1-3 feet; trunk straight and clear with many upright branches which form a compact, broad, irregular crown.

=Leaves=.—Opposite, pinnately compound, 10-12 inches long, with 7-9 leaflets 3-5 inches long, oblong-lanceolate, taper-pointed, almost entire, pale or more or less pubescent.

=Flowers=.—May; dioecious; in downy panicles on shoots of the previous season.

=Fruit=.—Matures in early autumn and is persistent for several months; samaras 1-2 inches long, borne copiously in drooping clusters.

=Bark=.—Twigs usually pubescent, on old trunks rough with scaly dark gray-brown ridges.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, strong, brittle, light brown, with thick, yellow-streaked sapwood.

=Range=.—Vermont and Minnesota south to Florida and Texas.