574 FRAXINUS 



long, 2^ to 3 ins. wide, but extremely variable in size according to tne 

 vigour of the shoot, the smallest being 2 to 4 ins. long, f to i| ins. wide; 

 they are stalkless, markedly unequal at the base, long-pointed, coarsely 

 round-toothed ; smooth above, pale beneath and slightly downy about the 

 base of the midrib and lower veins. The common stalk is smooth, 

 crooked on big leaves, slightly grooved on the upper side, with the bases 

 dark brown, very much swollen, and clasping the shoots ; the lowest pair of 

 leaflets is much the smallest. Flowers in terminal panicles. Fruit i^ ins. 

 long, ^ in. wide towards the apex, where it is broadest. 



Native of Japan, belonging to the Ornus group ; introduced over thirty 

 years ago. Its leaves and leaflets are of remarkable dimensions on vigorous 

 plants, but its most distinctive character is furnished by the enormous bases 

 of the leaf-stalk. The whole tree has a yellowish tinge ; worth cultivating 

 as a striking and remarkable ash. / 



F SYRIACA, Boissier. SYRIAN ASH. 



A deciduous tree, small in cultivation, and of slow growth ; young branches 

 without down, those of a year or two old usually packed closely with protuber- 

 ances, which are the seats of the fallen leaves and buds. Leaves quite smooth, 

 normally in whorls of three, and densely crowded, but on free-growing shoots 

 often alternate and well apart. Leaflets one to five (usually three), lance- 

 shaped, tapered at the base ; I to 4 ins. long, \ to I \ ins. wide ; coarsely and 

 sharply toothed, glossy dark green. The whole leaf is from 4 to 8 ins. long, 

 the main-stalk and midribs whitish beneath, the former grooved above. 

 Flowers produced in short racemes on the wood of the previous year. Fruit 

 narrowly obovate, I to i^ ins. long, \ in. wide. 



Native of Syria and Afghanistan and the country between. It does not, so 

 far as I have observed, possess any recommendation for gardens, but is very 

 distinct in the remarkably crowded leaves,' and in the conspicuous protuber- 

 ances on the younger branches. It has been cultivated under the wrong name 

 of "F. Sogdiana." 



F. TEXENSIS, Sargent. TEXAN ASH. 



A tree rarely 50 ft. high in nature ; young shoots stout, smooth, deep 

 brown. Leaves on young trees 6 to 15 ins. long. Leaflets five or seven, oval 

 or ovate (terminal one sometimes obovate), rounded or tapered, and often very 

 unequal at the base, pointed at the apex in young plants, sometimes rounded 

 in adult ones ; coarsely but shallowly round-toothed, dark green and smooth 

 above, grey-white beneath, and at first downy, with the midrib and chief veins 

 permanently beset with white hairs. The leaflets of adult trees are described 

 by Sargent as 2 to 2^ ins. long by I to 2 ins. wide, but on trees at Kew twelve 

 years old they are as much as 6^ ins. long by 3 ins. wide. Common stalk 

 round except for a flattening at the top ; stalk of leaflets up to \ in. long. The 

 fruit apparently resembles that of F. americana. 



Native of limestone districts in Texas ; discovered by Dr Bigelow in 1852 ; 

 introduced to Kew in 1901. It is closely allied to F. americana, but has 

 broader, more shortly pointed leaflets, commonly only five to each leaf. 

 Young trees are vigorous, and particularly striking for their large deep green 

 leaflets. 



F. VELTHEIMI, Dieck. 



(F. angustifolia var. monophylla, Henry?) 



A bushy habited tree very similar in form and arrangement of leaf to the one- 

 leaved form of common ash, but easily distinguished from it by the leaves being 



