OLEACEAE 



Bed Ash 



Fraxinus Pennsylvania, Marsh. [Fraxinus pubescens, Lam.] 



HABIT. A medium-sized tree 30-50 feet high, with a trunk 

 diameter of 1-2 feet; stout, upright branches and slender branch- 

 lets form a compact, broad, irregular crown. 



LEAVES. Opposite, pinnately compound, 10-12 inches long. 

 Leaflets 7-9, 3-5 inches long, i-i l / 2 inches broad; 'short-stalked ; 

 oblong-lanceolate to ovate; slightly serrate or entire; thin and 

 firm; glabrous, yellow-green above, pale and silky-downy be- 

 neath. Petioles stout, pubescent. 



FLOWERS. May, with tbe leaves ; dioecious ; borne in 

 compact, downy panicles on shoots of the previous season ; calyx 

 cup-shaped, 4-toothed; corolla o; stamens 2, rarely 3; ovary 2- 

 celled. 



FRUIT. Early autumn, persistent on the branches through- 

 out the winter; samaras 1-2 inches long, in open, paniculate clus- 

 ters. 



WINTER-BUDS. Small, rounded; bud-scales rounded on 

 the back, 3 pairs, rusty brown, tomentose. 



BARK. Twigs pale pubescent at first, lasting 2-3 years or 

 often disappearing during the first summer, finally ashy gray or 

 brownish and often covered with a glaucous bloom; brown or 

 dark gray on the trunk, with many longitudinal, shallow furrows ; 

 somewhat scaly. 



WOOD. Heavy, hard, strong, brittle, coarse-grained, light 

 brown, with thick, yellow-streaked sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Not a common tree. Most frequent in 

 the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, but has been reported 

 further north, i. e., Drummond's Island and Keweenaw Count}', 

 Upper Peninsula. 



HABITAT. Prefers wet or moist, rich loam; river-banks; 

 swampy lowlands. 



NOTES. A rapid grower in youth. Fairly immune fron. 

 insect and fungous diseases. 



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