OLEACEAE 

 White Ash 



Fraxinus amcricana L,. 



HABIT. A large tree 50-75 feet high, with a trunk diam- 

 eter of 2-3 feet; forming an open, pyramidal crown of long, 

 slender, lateral branches and a stout, rather sparse spray. 



LEAVES. -Opposite, pinnately compound, 8-12 inches long. 

 Leaflets usually 7-9, 3-5 inches long, 1-2 inches broad; short- 

 stalked; ovate to oblong-lanceolate; entire or obscurely serrate; 

 thick and firm ; glabrous, dark green above, paler beneath. 

 Petioles glabrous, stout, grooved. 



FLOWERS. May, before the leaves; dioecious; borne in 

 loose panicles on shoots of the previous season; calyx companu- 

 late, 4-lobed ; corolla o ; stamens 2, rarely 3 ; ovary 2-celled. 



FRUIT. August-September, persistent on the branches 

 until midwinter or the following spring; samaras 1-2 inches 

 long, in crowded, drooping, paniculate clusters 6-8 inches long. 



WINTER-BUDS. Short, rather obtuse; bud-scales apicu- 

 late, keeled, 4 pairs, rusty-brown. 



BARK. Twigs at first dark green, becoming gray or light 

 brown, often covered with a glaucous bloom; gray, deeply fur- 

 rowed into firm, narrow, flattened ridges on the trunk. 



WOOD. Heavy, hard, strong, close-grained, tough, brown, 

 with thick, lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Of common occurrence throughout the 

 state. 



HABITAT. Prefers a rich, moist, loamy soil, but grows in 

 any well-drained situation; common along stream-beds. 



NOTES. Grows rapidly. Easily transplanted. Fairly free 

 from disease. Leaves appear late in spring. 

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