274 



sparsely serrate with short teeth, dark green and smooth above, a lighter 

 green beneath and more or less pubescent on the petiolules, midrib and 

 veins; calyx persistent, about 1 mm. long; fruit ripens in September 

 and October, linear or spatulate, 3-5 cm. long, variable in size and shape, 

 body %-% the length of samara, compressed or flattened and gradu- 

 ally narrowed to the base, usually less than half as wide as the wing, 

 each face of the body usually striated with about 2-4 lines which are 

 stronger than those near the edge of the body; wing generally 5-6 mm. 

 wide, pointed or notched at apex, and decurrent on the sides of the body 

 for about one-half of its length. 



Distribution. Lake Champlain to the Saskatchewan and south to 

 the Gulf. Found in all parts of Indiana. It is usually found in low 

 ground along streams, in swamps, and in low woods. It is usually 

 associated with white elm, red maple, cottonwood, aspens, linn, bur 

 oak, etc., in the south to this list should be added silver maple and 

 cypress. It prefers a habitat wetter than that of the white ash, although 

 the two are found together in wet woods. In swampy woods it is often 

 a common tree. While it has a general distribution in the State, it is 

 much more local than the white ash. 



Remarks. This form is not usually separated from the next species, 

 and both are known in books and by nurserymen as green or red ash. 

 The common name, green ash, should be applied to this species to 

 separate it from the true white ash, and the next. 



In ash forest plantings on the Clark County State Forest, it is to 

 be noted that this and the next species bear fruit while the trees are 

 as small as 1.5 cm. in diameter, while the white and Biltmore ash which 

 are much older and 6-8 cm. in diameter have never borne fruit. This 

 species and the next bear fruit oftener and in greater abundance than 

 the white or Biltmore ash. It is also to be noted that practically all 

 of the volunteer ash trees found along fences and roadsides, except 

 very large trees, are of the green ash species. 



The wood is similar to that of white ash, and the cut is usually sold 

 as that species. However, it ranks below white ash in its mechanical 

 qualities. 1 



While the native green ash is found growing in swamps, it adapts 

 itself to drier situations. It is planted more than any other species 

 of ash in the cold and dry regions of the West and Northwest. 



4. Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall. RED ASH. WHITE 

 ASH. SWAMP ASH. Plate 127. Usually medium sized trees much 

 like the preceding; twigs velvety pubescent at maturity; leaves 

 generally 2-3 dm. long, rachis pubescent; leaflets 5-9, usually 7. generally 



iSterrett: Utilization of Ash. U. S. Dept. Agri. Bui. 523:1917. 



