In canyons and borders of streams, lakes and springs in the Tex. Trans-Pecos, 

 N.M. (Grant. Luna. Dona Ana, Lincoln and Otero cos.) and Ariz. (Apache to 

 Coconino, s. to Cochise, Santa Cruz and Pima cos.), spring; from w. Tex. to Ut., 

 Nev., Calif, and n. Mex. 



Similarly to most of our ashes, F. velutina is an extremely variable species that 

 has been given a number of names based on its variations. The plant with glabrous 

 branchlets and leaves has been designated as var. glabra (Thornb.) Rehd. 



2. Chionanthus L. Fringe-tree 

 Two species, ours and another in eastern Asia. 



1. Chionanthus virginica L. Old-man's beard. Fig. 621. 



Low deciduous tree to about 10 m. high; branchlets stout, pubescent when young; 

 leaves with petioles to 25 mm. long, opposite to alternate, entire, oval to oblong or 

 oblanceolate, cuneate at base, acute to acuminate at apex, to 2 dm. long and 6 cm. 

 wide, usually much smaller, dark-green and lustrous above, paler and sometimes 

 pubescent beneath; panicles densely flowered, to 2 dm. long, usually leafy-bracted 

 at base: flowers delicate, white or greenish-white, on slender pedicels, opening with 

 or before the leaves, in loose and drooping graceful panicles from lateral buds in 

 the uppermost leaf axils, functionally unisexual; calyx 4-parted, very small, per- 

 sistent; calyx lobes triangular; petals 1.5-3 cm. long, about 2 mm. wide, narrowly 

 linear, acute, varying to 5 or 6 in number; stamens 2, subsessile on the base of 

 the corolla; style very short, the stigma notched; drupe purple, with a bloom, ovoid 

 to ellipsoid, fleshy, to 18 mm. long. 



In damp woods, low wet depressions in flatwoods, in thickets or on bluffs in 

 s.e. Okla. (Waterfall) and e. Tex., Mar. -Apr.; from Fla. to Tex., n. to N.J., e. Pa., 

 W.Va., s. O., s. Mo. and Okla.; spreading from cult, northw. 



Those plants with pubescent panicles and pubescent lower surface of leaves are 

 usually referred to var. maritima Pursh. 



3. Forestiera PoiR. 



Shrubs or small trees; leaves opposite or subopposite, the phyllotaxis in some 

 species obscured by the foreshortening of the internodes of the twigs ("spurs" or 

 "short shoots"); leaf blades entire, simple, usually porulose (with darkish minute 

 craters scattered in the epidermis); stipules absent; male and female flowers borne 

 on separate bushes or an occasional flower appearing perfect; flowers inconspicu- 

 ous, borne in small axillary glomerules, unisexual; sepals minute; corolla absent; 

 staminate flowers comprising merely 4 (or 5) minute sepals and 4 (or 5) stamens; 

 pistillate flowers comprising usually 4 (or 5) minute sepals, 4 (or 5) staminodia 

 and a central stipitate ovary; ovary one-celled, uniovulate; fruit a slow-maturing 

 drupe, longitudinally ribbed prior to ripening, the mesocarp becoming juicy only 

 very shortly before maturity, the exocarp passing through shades of purple to 

 nearly black and with a whitish bloom, the stone thin-walled and made of a series 

 of longitudinal ribs; endosperm copious. 



A genus of North America and Central America and the West Indies, of about 

 12 inclusive species or up to 20 finely divided ones. 



Some species are among the most sought-after browse, and tend to disappear in 

 over-browsed areas. The ripe drupes are eaten by game birds and some waterfowl. 



1. Leaf blades mostly more than 3.5 cm. long, acuminate; petioles 5 mm. long or 

 more 1. F. acuminata. 



1. Leaf blades rarely more than 3.5 cm. long, obtuse to acute; petioles 1-3 mm. 

 long 2. F. pubescens. 



1. Forestiera acuminata (Michx.) Poir. Swamp privet. Fig. 621. 



Shrubs to about 3 m. tall or small trees to 10 m. tall, glabrous; leaves deciduous, 



1307 



