14 DIANDRIA— MONOGYNIA. Fraxinus. 



Cal. either none, or in 4 deep segments. Cor. none, or in 

 4 deep, linear, long segments. Filain. short, between the 

 segments, opposite. Anthers large, with 4 furrows. Ger- 

 men superior, ovate, of 2 cells, with rudiments of 2 pendu- 

 lous seeds. Style short. Stigma cloven. Capsule lanceo- 

 late, flat, not bursting, often of but one cell, with a solitary, 

 lanceolate, compressed seed^ covered with rusty glittering 

 powder. 



Arboreous. Branches opposite, compressed at the upper 

 part. Buds ovate, valvular. Leaves opposite, pinnate, 

 smooth, deciduous. Panicles lateral and terminal, with 

 opposite stalks. FL pale. Capsules pendulous, brovni. 

 Calyx and Corolla wanting in our species, as well as the 

 stamens in some flowers ; one tree bearing the greatest 

 number of perfect stamens, another of perfect pistils. 



The exotic genus Chionanthus differs in the fruit from this, 

 as Privet fi'om Lilac. 



1. F. excelsio7\ Common Ash. 



Leaflets serrated. Flowers without calyx or corolla. 



F. excelsior. Linn. Sp. PL 1509. Willd. vAA099. VahlEnum. 



15.1.53. Fl.Br.lS. Ejigl Bot. v. 24. t. 1692. Hook. Scot. 3. 



Fl. Dan. t. 969. 

 F. n. 528. Hall. Hist. v. 1. 228. 

 Fraxinus. Raii Syn.469. Garner. Epit. 64. f. Ger. Em. 1472. f. 



In woods and hedges ; especially on hills in limestone countries. 



Tree. April, May. 



One of our tallest, most graceful trees, with a smooth grey bark, 

 and large, coal-black, rather downy buds. Wood tough, whitish. 

 Leaves stalked, of 5 or 6 pair, with an odd one, of ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, acute, nearly sessile, opposite leaflets, whose main rib 

 is fringed beneath ; their common stalk channelled and bordered. 

 Panicles from lateral buds, below the leaf-buds, drooping, many- 

 fiowered. Flowers small, brown, consisting only of a pistil, with 

 (generally) one short stamen at each side. Very rarely there 

 are flowers with stamens only. Gapsules with a flat leaf-like 

 termination, an inch long, and generally of 2 cells, with an ob- 

 long seed in each, glittering with rusty meal, like an almond, 

 but bitter and nauseous. 



The Weeping Ash, a variety with drooping branches, is propa- 

 gated by grafting only. 



2. F. heterophylla. Simple-leaved Ash. 



Leaves both simple and compound, with tooth-like serra- 

 tures. 



