34 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



opening by lateral slits; ovary mostly 2-celled with single style and 2-lobed stigma. 

 Fruit a samara, with terete or somewhat flattened and usually 1 -seeded body and 

 terminal wing; seed elongated, pendulous. 



Trees and shrubs of about 40 species with tough wood, stout branchlets having 

 large pith and obtuse or rounded scaly buds, the terminal one the largest. It is 

 of wide distribution in north-temperate regions and within the tropics on the 

 islands of Cuba and Jamaica. About 16 species are found within the United 

 States, all arborescent though one is more commonly a shrub than a tree. 

 (Fraxinus is the ancient Latin name of the Ash-tree.) 



286. FRAXINUS CAROLINIANA, MILL. 



WATER ASH. 

 Ger., Wasser-Esche; Fr., Frene d'eau; Sp., Fresno de agua. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves 7-12 in. long with elongated petioles and 5-7 

 rather remote long-petiolulate ovate to ovate-lanceolate leaflets, usually cuneate 

 or rounded at base and acute or acuminate at apex, closely serrate or entire, 

 tomentose at first but finally dark green above, paler and glabrous or pubescent 

 beneath; branchlets thick. Flowers (February and March) dioecious, with calyx 

 nearly obsolete and 2 to 3 stamens; corolla none; pistillate flowers with cup- 

 shaped lasciniate-lobed persistent calyx. Fruit samara winged all around, obovate, 

 spatulate or elliptical, nearly 2 in. long, %-% in. broad, frequently 3-winged with 

 persistent calyx at base, compressed body and wing pinnately veined. 



The Water Ash is a small tree seldom over 40 ft. (12 m.) in 

 height or 1 ft. (0.30 m.) in thickness of trunk. It has a rather 

 narrow top of slender branches, and the bark of trunk is rather thin, 

 of a dark gray color, slightly if at all ridged and exfoliating in 

 thinnish irregular scales. 



HABITAT. The coast region from Virginia southward to southern 

 Florida, and westward to the valley of the Sabine River in Texas, 

 occupying deep swamps and the banks of streams inundated during 

 a considerable portion of the year. It associates in these localities 

 with the Ball Cypress, Cotton Gum, Over-cup, Laurel and Water 

 Oaks, the Red Maple, etc. Though generally much shaded by these 

 taller trees it thrives even though not receiving what would seem to 

 be its due allowance of sunlight. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood light, brittle, not strong, compact 

 and of a pinkish brown color, with abundant sap-wood of lighter tint. 

 Specific Gravity, 0.3541 ; Percentage of Ash, 0.73 ; Relative Approxi- 

 mate Fuel Value, 0.3515; Coefficient of Elasticity, 47637; Modulus 

 of Rupture, 536; Resistance to Longitudinal Pressure, 251; Resist- 

 ance to Indentation, 138; Weight of a Cubic Foot in Pounds, 22.07. 



USES. Little if any use is made of this wood, its trunk being too 

 small and the wood too inferior to give it any special commercial 

 value. 



