386 Tlie Xeiv York State College of Forestry 



THE ASHES. Genus FRAXINUS (Tourn.) L. 



Trees and shrubs with stout pithy branches, opposite odd-pinnate 

 or occasionally simple leaves, dioecious, polygamous or rarely per- 

 fect flowers, and samaroid fruit. The genus Fraxinus includes 

 about fort}- species, widely distributed in the northern hemisphere 

 and in Cuba and Java. Sixteen species occur in the United States, 

 fifteen of which are arborescent and include some of our most 

 valuable timber trees. Three species and a variety are indigenous 

 to New York State. 



Leaves opposite, deciduous, odd-piniiately compound or rarely reduced to a 

 single leaflet, petiolate; leaflets generally serrate; petiolulate or sessile. 

 Flowers dioecious, polygamous, or rarely perfect, vernal, borne on slender 

 pedicels in open or compact axillary panicles, terminal or axillary on shoots 

 of the year or axillary on the growth of the preceding season; calyx small, 

 campanulate or none; corolla 2-4 parted or none; stamens chiefly 2, with 

 short filaments and large oblong anthers; pistil consisting of a mostly 2-celled 

 ovary crowned by a simple style and 2-lobed stigma. Fruit a samara with 

 terete or somewhat compressed, chiefly 1-seeded body and terminal wing; seed 

 elongated, exalbuminous. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES page 



1. Leaflets petiolulate; body of the fruit essentially terete; wing not extending 



to the base 2 



1. Leaflets sessile; body of the fruit compressed; wing extending to the base. . . . 



F. nigra 333 



2. Leaflets obscurely serrate, pale beneath 3 



2. Leaflets sharply serrate, bright green beneath 



F. pennsylvanica, var. lanceolata 331 



3. Petioles and branehlets glabrous or nearly so F. americana 327 



3. Petioles and branehlets velvety-pubescent F. pennsylvanica 321) 



THE FIGWORT FAMILY. SCROPHULARIACEAE 



Herbs, shrubs, vines and a few trees, with simple opposite, 

 whorled or alternate leaves, mainly perfect, irregular and usually 

 showy flowers, and capsular fruit. The family includes about one 

 hundred and eighty genera and twenty-five hundred species, widely 

 distributed through tropical and temperate regions. In addition 

 to many herbs, Pauloivnia is represented by a single naturalized 

 arborescent species in New York State. 



Leaves simple, variously arranged, estipulate. Flowers generally perfect, 

 complete, irregular and often zygomorphic, generally sho^^';J'; calyx 4-5- 

 toothed, eleft or divided, persistent; corolla more or less irregular, miiinly 

 2-lipped; stamens 2, 4 or 5, generally didynamous, inserted on the corolla-tube, 

 with long, slender filaments and 1-2-celled anthers; pistil consisting of a 

 2-celled, many-ovuled ovary surmounted by a slender, usually simple style 

 and simple or 2-lobed stigma. Fruit capsular, 2-valved; seeds numerous, 

 albuminous. 



