Genus FRAXINUS, Tourn. 



Oleaceae. Polygamia Dioccia. 



Syst. Nat, Syst. Lin. 



Synonymes. 



Fraxinus, Of Authors. 



Frene, Fresne, France. 



Esche, Germany. 



Frassino, Italy. 



Fresno, Spain. 



Freixo, Portugal. 



Jas, Jasen, Russia. 



Ash, Britain and Angi,o-America. 



Derivations. The derivation of Fraxinus, given by Don, in Miller's Dictionary, is from tVie Greek phrasso, to enclose; the 

 ash having been formerly used for making hedges. Liiiiueus derives it from the Greek phraris, a separation ; because the wood 

 splits easily. Others derive It from the Lalin_/"ra/(5r7r, because the young branches are easily broken; or which may have 

 been applied ironically, in allusion to the extreme toughness of the wood. The English name Ash, may be derived either 

 from the Saxon word asc, a pike ; or from the colour of the bark of the trunlt and branches, which resembles that of wood-ashea. 



Ge.neric Characters. Flowers polygamous. Calyx none, or 4-parted, or 4-toothed. Corolla none. Sta- 

 mens 2, in the male flowers. Anthers sessile, or on short filaments, dehiscing outwardly. Female 

 flowers the same, except that they have no stamens, but have each a pistil, that has a bifid stigma. 

 Fruit, or samara, 2-celled, compressed, winged at top. Cells 1-seeded. Don, Millefs Diet 



HE genus Fraxinus consists of deciduous trees, with :>pposite, 

 impari-pinnate, rarely simple leaves, and lateral racemes of greeii- 

 (^ ish-yellow flowers ; and natives of Europe, northern Africa, a part 

 of Asia, and of North America. They are raised from seeds, or 

 by grafting on the Fraxinus excelsior. In all the species, there is 

 a great tendency to sport into varieties ; and most of those which 

 are described by botanists as species, do not appear to be entitled to that distinc- 

 tion. Indeed, with two or three exceptions, the trees belonging to this genus bear 

 so close a resemblance to each other, when yomig, that it is difficult to deter- 

 mine which are species and which are varieties ; and, in pursuance of the idea 

 advanced by Mr. Loudon, that, "no plant can be truly a species, that is n.Jt 

 readily distinguished from every other, in every stage of its growth, and at every 

 season of the year," we are inclined to believe that there are no more than two 

 species of ash hitherto discovered, either in Europe or America, viz. : Fraxinus 

 excelsior, and americana. We have accordingly, for the sake of brevity, and 

 convenience of classification, brought them all under these two heads; and have 

 considered them only as varieties. Those, however, who differ from us in opin- 

 ion, will find no dilhculty in recognizing among our synonymes, the names as 

 given by Michaux, Don, Loudon, and others, and will be enabled to know under 

 what head they are described in the works of these authors. 



