ASH G.N. 4540 



ASH 



Fraxinns excelsior Linn. Oleacese. 



A rather hard, heavy ring-porous wood of a whitish or light brownish 

 colour (rarely brown as in the Hungarian Ash) : heartwood only in old 

 trees and then a sign of decline. 



Transverse section. Parenchyma vasicentric, white, surrounding the 

 small pores of the Autumn wood, chiefly in the outermost zone of the 

 ring where it sometimes unites a few groups of pores to arcs, angles and 

 short lines. These lines are rarely of any length being usually mere scraps. 

 The limit of the ring is of parenchyma also. 



Vessels of the pore-ring very large and conspicuous, of 2-4 rows of 

 pores, gradually diminishing in size for a short time, and then very 

 abruptly, those of the outer zone being very minute. Often sub-divided 

 (mother and daughter) groups. A strong tendency to oblique lines 

 Amongst the pores which then leave rounded spaces of unoccupied wood. 



Rays scarcely, if at all, visible to the unaided eye, very fine, whitish, 

 irregular in size and spacing, at intervals of about the width of a large 

 pore apart; multiseriate. 



Radial section. Parallel bands of coarse grooves (the boundaries) very 

 prominent by reason of the pore-rings. The grooves are generally brown- 

 ish or yellowish within. Pith large, about J inch diameter, soft, grey. 



Tangential section. As the radial, but the boundaries are still more 

 prominent being coarsely fringed loops. Zigzag tracery rarely indicated 

 and then very discontinuous. Rays minute, visible with the lens with 

 care. 



May be confused with: May be distinguished by: 



Elm when light coloured, es- Pores in the Autumn wood, 



pecially the Wych Elm (pores in joined here and there with white 



the Autumn wood in pronounced, parenchyma producing short lines, 



E ractically continuous, concentric arcs and angles. Rays very ob- 



nes. Rays and parenchyma, deep scure, nearly colourless, 

 brown). 



Chestnut (pores in the Autumn Pores in the Autumn wood 



wood in radial streams). never in radial streams (see above). 



Ailanthus glandulosus and Gym- Rays obscure, need lens. 

 nocladus canadensis (rays in trans- 

 verse section visible at arm's 

 length). 



Hickory (parenchyma (b) in con- Parenchyma (a) vasicentric, join- 

 centric lines easily visible with the ing a few groups in the Autumn 

 lens, and sometimes with the naked wood only. No parenchyma (b). 

 eye). 



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