90 THE TREES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



not the advantage of names, therefore, to assist me 

 in pointing out the species. None of them are very 

 abundant. 



1. Water Ash. (Fraxinus platycarpa, Michx.) 

 — This is a Southern species, peculiar to the marshy 

 borders of creeks and rivers in the Lower Districts, 

 and where, so far as I have learned, there is no other 

 species. It is the only one in the State in which the 

 wings of the fruit extend down to the bottom of the 

 seed, and is sometimes even three-winged. The lo- 

 cality and the fruit will therefore readily determine 

 this species. The tree is 30 to 40 feet high, its tim- 

 ber probably less valuable than some of the others, 

 though partaking of the same general qualities. 



2. Green Ash. (F. viridis, Michx.) — I have 

 seen this only in the Middle and Upper Districts, 

 upon the banks of rivers. The fruit is gradually 

 dilated from the base- upward. The leaflets (5 to 9) 

 are more or less toothed, smooth and green on both 

 sides. This is a middle-sized tree, with greenish 

 branchlets. The timber is much like that of the 

 others, but hardly equal to White Ash. 



3. Red Ash. (F. pubescens. Lam.) — I have seen 

 this only in Lincoln, but it is doubtless an inhabitant 

 of rich swampy grounds in other counties of the 

 Middle District. It is 50 to 60 feet high, the under- 

 side of the leaves, and also the young shoots, clothed 

 with a thick whitish down, which changes, in the Fall, 

 to a reddish tint, from whence is probably derived 

 its common name. The leaflets (7 to 9) are but 



