Class XXIII. Order I. 



cent on the margin and petiole, two or three inches in length. 

 The flowers are small, obscure, of a green colour, collected on 

 the end of a long peduncle. Each fertile peduncle produces 

 two or three small, oblong drupes, of a deep blue colour, each 

 containing an exceedingly hard, striated stone. 



The wood of this tree is white, and moderately hard. Its 

 fibres are closely interwoven, so as to render it extremely tough 

 and difficult to split. In Massachusetts it is generally called 

 Hornbeam, a name properly belonging to the genus Carpinus. 



283. FRAXINUS. 

 FUAXINUS AMERICANA. Mich.f. White Ash. 



Leafets elliptic, acuminate, slightly toothed, pe= 

 tioled, glaucous underneath. 



Syn. FRAXINUS DISCOLOR. Muhl. 



This very valuable tree grows to the height of seventy or 

 eighty feet. Its branches are opposite, and covered with bark 

 of a very light colour. Leaves pinnate, consisting of about 

 seven oval, acuminated leafets, whitish underneath, more or less 

 toothed on their margin. The flowers grow in loose, com- 

 pound racemes, and are succeeded by winged capsules. These 

 are cylindrical at base, but dilated at their end into a long, flat 

 appendage, somewhat lanceolate in form, but blunt or emargin- 

 atc at the end. The wood of the common Ash is exceedingly 

 durable, firm, and elastic, with a tolerable degree of lightness. 

 It is the principal material used in the manufacture of carriage 

 frames, of light agricultural implements, of oars, blocks, box- 

 es, Sec. May. 



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