OLEACEAE 917 



1. Menodora scabra A. Gray. Resembling species of Linum. Stems tufted, often 

 branched at the base, the branches ascending or spreading, 1-4 dm. long, corymbose at the 

 top : leaves mostly alternate, 8-20 mm. long ; blades linear, oblong or oblanceolate, acute, 

 entire or undulate, the lower ones sometimes short-petioled : peduncles always erect : 

 calyx-lobes linear-subulate, 5-6 mm. long, acute : corolla bright yellow ; lobes obovate, 

 6-10 long : capsules 6-8 mm. broad. 



In dry soil, Texas to Arizona. Spring and summer. 



2. Menodora heterophylla Moric. Stems branching at the base, the branches 0.5-2 

 dm. long, decumbent or spreading: leaves mainly opposite, 0.5-2 cm. long; blades pin- 

 nately 3-7-cleft or 3-7-parted ; segments mostly linear-oblong, acute : flowers few : pe- 

 duncles finally recurved: calyx-lobes narrowly linear, 3-6 mm. long: corolla light yellow 

 or reddish purple without ; tube shorter than the calyx-lobes, obovate, 6-10 mm. long, 

 obtuse: capsules 10-12 mm. broad. [Bolivaria Grisebachii Scheele.] 



In sandy soil, Texas and adjacent Mexico. Spring and summer. 



3. MENODOROPSIS Small. 



Shrubby herbs, with tufted stems. Leaves mostly opposite : blades firm, relatively 

 narrow, entire or sometimes cleft near the base of the stem. Flowers few in terminal 

 corymbs. Calyx pedicelled : tube ribbed : lobe 10, narrow. Corolla salverform, bright 

 yellow : tube elongated, glabrous within : limb spreading : lobes mucronate or abruptly 

 acuminate. Stamens included : anthers nearly sessile in the throat of the corolla-tube. 

 Gynoeciura similar to that of the next preceding genus. Capsule didymous, circum- 

 scissile near the middle. 



1. Menodoropsis longiflora (A. Gray) Small. Stems tufted, erect or ascending, 

 2-4 dm. tall, simple or branched. Leaves opposite or the upper ones sometimes alternate, 

 1-2.5 cm. long ; blades linear to lanceolate, acute, revolute, entire or the lower ones some- 

 times 3-cleft, sessile or the lower ones short-petioled : calyx -lobes linear-filiform, acute, 

 erect : corolla light yellow ; tube gradually dilated upward, 3-5 cm. long ; lobes ovate- 

 lanceolate or oblong, acute : capsules nearly 15 mm. broad. IMenodora longiflora A. Gray.] 



On plains and prairies, southern and western Texas. Spring and summer. 



4. FRAXINUS L. 



Shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite : blades unequally pinnate, or rarely simple : leaf- 

 lets entire or toothed. Flowers inconspicuous, polygamous or dioecious, or rarely perfect, 

 in clusters or panicles. Calyx wanting, or with a short tube and 4 unequal lobes. Corolla 

 none, or of 2-4" petals, these distinct or united by pairs at the base. Stamens 2 or rarely 

 3-4 : filaments short or elongated, inserted at the base of the petals or hypogynous : anthers 

 oval to linear, rather extrorse. Ovary 2-celled : styles united : stigma 2-cleft. Ovules 2 

 in each cavity, pendulous. Samara various : body flat or terete : wings tei'minal or sur- 

 rounding the body, 2 or rarely 3. The plants flower in the spring and mature their fruit 

 in the summer. Ash. 

 Lateral leaflets sessile : calyx wanting : samara with the wing extending around its base. 



Lateral leaflets stalked : calyx present in the pistillate flowers. " " ^^^^ ' 



Samara with a flat body, the wing extending to its base or around it. 



Leaflets 7-11 : twigs 4-sided : samara rounded or obtuse at the base. 2. F. quadrangulata. 



Leaflets 5-7 : twigs terete : samara narrowed and acute at the base. 



Samara spatulate or oblong-spatulate. 3. F. pauciflora. 



Samaras elliptic to ovate or obovate. 4. F. Caroliniana. 



Samara with a terete or nearly terete body, the wing terminal or merely de- 

 current on the body. 

 "Wing of the samara extending along the sides of the body. 

 Twigs, petioles and pedicels velvety pubescent. 



Samaras 5-7 cm. long ; body not sharply differentiated from the wing. 5. F. profunda. 

 Samaras 2-5 em. long ; body sharply differentiated from the wing. 6. F. Fennsylvanica. 



Twigs, petioles and pedicels glabrous. 



Lateral leaflets cuneate at the base : leaflets 3-5. 7. F. Berlandieri. 



Lateral leaflets not cuneate at the base : leaflets 5-9. 8. F. lanceolata. 



Wings of the samara terminalior nearly so. 

 Twigs and leaves glabrous or nearly so. 



Samara-body fully or nearly as long as the spatulate wing. 9. F. Texensis. 



Samara-body much shorter than the linear or oblong-linear wing. 10. F. Americana. 



Twigs and leaves densely pubescent. 11. F. Biltmoreana. 



1. Fraxinus nigra Marsh. A forest tree rarely over 32 m. tall, with almost gla- 

 brous foliage. Leaves 2-4 dm. long, resembling those of Sainbucus Canadensis ; leaflets 7-11, 

 the blades of the lateral ones lanceolate to oblong, acuminate, 8-15 cm. long, serrate, more 



