ASH 209 
this becomes rough and furrowed at length. It is ashen grey, hence 
the name. Rounded props occur at the base. 
The flowers are branched and tufted, arising from lateral buds, and 
are bi- or uni-sexual, and degenerate, without sepals or petals. The 
bi-sexual flowers stand in the axils of bracts, and consist of 2 stamens, 
with purple anthers, and a pistil above, with 2 large stigmas on a short 
style. The female flower resembles these, but the male consists of only 
2stamens. The fruit is a strap-like winged ovary (“keys”), tipped by 
Photo. A. R. Horwood 
AsH (Fraxinus excelsior, L.) 
the style, and contains 1 seed. The flowers appear in April and May. 
The Ash is a deciduous tree, propagated by seeds. 
The stigma ripens first, two to four days before the anthers, and the 
latter open on the inner side. The flowers are small, but, being closely 
placed, are conspicuous. Honey is secreted at the base of the corolla- 
tube. The tree is wind-pollinated. The flowers are in bloom early, 
before the leaves. In this way the pollen can be readily borne away 
without being impeded by the foliage. The flowers vary in the sexual 
characters considerably. Some are hermaphrodite or complete. In 
some there are only rudimentary stamens, in others only a rudimentary 
pistil, and all stages occur between these conditions and combinations 
Vou. II 44 
