566 FRAXINUS 



(and largest) one oval or obovate, 3 to 5^ ins. long, 2 to 3 ins. wide, its 

 stalk I to i^ ins. long ; the pairs towards the base smaller, oval, the lowest 

 pair ij to 3 ins. long, sometimes roundish oval ; all shallowly round-toothed, 

 stalked ; dark dull green above, pale beneath, with dense brown down at the 

 sides of the midrib and base of the veins only. Common stalk with a 

 continuous open channel on the upper side with tufts of down where the 

 leaflets are attached. Flowers and fruit not seen in this country; the latter 

 described by Henry as about i^ ins. long, ^ in. wide, oblanceolate, and either 

 rounded or pointed at the apex. 



Native of China; introduced under the name of "Bungeana" in 1891. 

 It has been also wrongly named " F. obovata " in gardens. Young trees are 

 striking in the large size of their leaflets. Henry says this is one of the trees 

 on which the wax insect lives. 



F. DIMORPHA, Cosson and'Durieu. ALGERIAN ASH. 



A deciduous bush or a small tree, 20 ft. or more high ; branchlets smooth, 

 purplish on the upper side. Leaves i^ to 3 ins. long, composed of five 

 to eleven (mostly seven or nine) leaflets, which are ovate, f to i ins. long, 

 |- to -i in. wide ; rather prominently toothed, scarcely stalked ; smooth, except 

 for a tuft of down at the base of the midrib beneath; the main leaf-stalk is 

 slightly winged between each pair of leaflets. Flowers (not seen in this 

 country) produced from the axils of the previous year's wood. Fruits i^ ins. 

 long, in. wide. 



Var. DUMOSA, Carriere. A purely shrubby variety, forming a dense 

 rounded bush with interlacing branches. Leaves uniformly smaller than 

 in the type, and only \ to in. long. 



Native of N. Africa, in the mountains of Algeria and Morocco. It is rare 

 in gardens, but very distinct among cultivated ashes, and worth growing 

 for its dwarf habit and minute leaflets. Var. dumosa makes a neat and 

 pleasing bush. 



F. XANTHOXYLOIDES, WalUch, is very closely allied and very similar to 

 F. dimorpha, but differs in having the branchlets covered with a dense 

 but extremely minute dark down ; the leaves and leaf-stalks have a scattered 

 but longer down. It is a native of the north-western Himalaya, Afghanistan, 

 etc. Bushes at Kew raised from seed sent from India do not appear to 

 be quite so hardy as F. dimorpha. 



F. DIPETALA, Hooker. FRINGE-FLOWERED ASH. 



A shrub 10 to 12 ft. high, or occasionally a small tree ; young shoots four- 

 sided and four-winged, slightly warted, not downy. Leaves 2 to 5 ins. long ; 

 leaflets commonly five, but varying from three to nine ; obovate or oval, 

 tapered at the base, rounded or hardly pointed at the apex ; \ to i| ins. long, 

 toothed except at the lowest third ; quite smooth on both surfaces. Main 

 leaf-stalk smooth, grooved above ; the terminal leaflet rather long-stalked, 

 the uppermost pair stalkless, those below more or less stalked. Flowers 

 creamy white, \ in. long, produced from the joints of the previous year's growth 

 in panicles 2 to 4 ins. long. Fruits about I in. long, \ in. wide, with a 

 notched tip. 



Native of California, where it was discovered in 1830 by David Douglas ; 

 but not introduced, so far as I am aware, until 1879, when Prof. Sargent sent 

 it to Kew. There is 'now a small tree there about 10 ft. high, which does not 

 flower, and is sometimes injured at the tips by frost. It appears to be one of 

 the most ornamental of ashes in flower, but needs a rather warmer climate 

 than near London. It should be tried in the south-west. Its four-angled 



