



DIANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Fraxmus. S7 



The species of this genus are very difficult to make out. 

 Soils of various kinds, as marshy, sandy, mountainous, and 

 warm, have effected such wonderful changes on the species, that 

 botanists have been often at a loss to what species tney should 

 refer several individual plants. Add to this, that the descrip- 

 tions are altogether imperfect and unscientific* Their history, ■ 

 therefore, must be begun anew, in which case let the names of 

 the old authors be rejected, lest dubious synonyms should occa- 

 sion a confusion among plants in themselves distinct ; and let 

 the species be described in local histories, and literary collec- 

 tions, holding in view the following circumstances : 1. Buds, 

 whether of 1 or more valves. ?• The disposition and folding of 

 the leaves within the bud. 3. Catkin s, whether from the same 

 or a distinct bud, above or below the leaves. 4. Leaves ser- 

 rated or very entire ; their surfaces naked or woolly. 5. Sta- 

 mens, their number. 6. Whether Trees, Shrubs, or creeping. 

 Linn. — Much still remains to be done to clear up the species 

 and varieties of Salix which this island produces, the genus 

 therefore has a claim upon the particular attentions of such as 

 wish to improve the botanical knowledge of their country. 



FR AX'INUS. CaL none, or with 4 divisions : 



Bloss. none, or with 4 petals. 



Fern, and hermaphrodite flowers. Pist. 1. 



Caps. 2-celled, leaf-like upwards, compressed ; 

 1 cell barren : Seed spear-shaped. 



F 



excd'sior. 



//. dan. 96S~Hutit. Evel.p. 150 ; i. /. 1 15, ed. U-Blackw. 

 328-Cam, ep'iU 6±-Pari, 1419. l-Gars. <)7 and TH -Bod. 



833 



Matth 



7 



Some trees producing flowers with stamens and pistils, and 

 others only flowers with pistils; but it often happens that the 

 former hath some with only pistils intermixed ; and the reverse. 

 CaL arui Bloss. none. Buds, the lateral ones producing bunches, 

 the terminating one leaves. Linn. — Leaves sometimes simple. 

 Huds. — In 3 specimens from 3 different trees, the 1 st had her- 

 maphrodite flowers, the 2d only male, and the 3d only female. 



St« — Leaves opposite, on leaf-stalks ; leafits fitting, 4 or 5 pair, 

 with an odd one. 



Common Asb-tree. Woods and hedge-rows. T. Mar. to May.* 



Var. z. Leaves simple. T. H. W. in Gent. Mag. vol. IV. 

 p. 598. 



* It flourishes best in groves, but it grows very well in rich soil in open 

 fields, it bean> transplanting and lopping, — Horses, cow*, sheep and 



go* i 



