212 



THE OLIVE FAMILY— OLEACEAE. 



The Olive family comprises representatives which are widely dis- 

 tributed in temperate and tropical regions, but are commonest in 

 the northern portion of both hemispheres. A great variety of trees 

 and shrubs is embraced by this family, some of which are valuable 

 timber trees, while others are valuable for ornamental purposes or 

 for the food which they yield. The most important is the Olive 

 Tree (Olea Europaea, L.), whose fruit and the oil derived from it 

 are used almost universally as food. The Olive Tree was cultivated 

 in ancient times in Syria and Palestine; later it was introduced into 

 the Mediterranean region, where one can find large orchards of it at 

 the present time; and within the past few decades it has been intro- 

 duced on a large scale into the southwestern part of the United 

 States. A few specimens are also growing at the present time near 

 Mont Alto, Pennsylvania. The Ashes which are among our most 

 valuable timber trees, the Forsythias and Lilacs which are among our 

 most attractive and jiopular shrubs, and the Privets, which are used 

 so extensively as hedge plants, are also members of this family. 



The Olive family comprises about 21 genera with 500 species of 

 trees, shrubs, and a few herbs. The flora of North America contains 

 5 genera with about 20 species, while that of Pennsylvania contains 

 4 genera with 9 species. Only 2 of the i genera native to Pennsyl- 

 \ ania have tree representatives. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Page. 

 1. Leaves comiJOund: fruit a dry samara; flowers without a corolla; winter buds with 



3-4 pairs of scales / Fraxinus 213 



1. Leaves simple; fruit a fleshy berry; flowers with a corolla; winter buds with more tlian 



4 pairs of scales, Chionanthus 217 



THE ASHES— FRAXINUS, (Tourn.) L. 



The Ashes with one or two exceptions are trees, which occupy a 

 variety of situations but prefer rich, moist soil. Some species taay 

 also be found occasionally in swamps or along streams, while others 

 frequent dry and poor uplands. The trees are usually straight, have 

 little stem taper, and often attain large dimensions. They are, lo- 

 cally, rather abundant and yield wood which is straight-grained, 

 strong, and elastic. The wood of all the eastern .species except that 

 of the Black Ash, is sold as White Ash. This classification is legi- 

 timate since there is little difference for practical purposes. They 

 are also valuable as shade trees. Our native species and the intro- 

 duced European species (Fraxinus excelsior, L.) are planted rather 

 extensively in parks and lawns. The trunk and leaves of Fraxinus 

 ornus, L., a species of southern Europe and Asia Minor, yield the 

 manna of commerce. 



The Ashes may be regenerated by natural and artificial methods. 

 The natural regeneration may be accomplished by means of regulated 



