282 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



OLEACE^ 



The flowers are small, but rendered conspicuous by 

 association. The honey is at the base of the corolla 

 tube. Fraxinus is wind-fertilised. 



Fraxinus 



Flower polygamous. Corolla 2-4-fid or wanting. 

 Fruit, as in so many other high trees, provided with a 

 wing, which assists in the dispersal by wind. 



F. excelsior (Ash). — The leaves, as in so many other 

 plants with large leaves, are divided into leaflets. This 

 renders, them less liable to be injured by hail or wind. 

 The leaf-stalk has a deep groove on 

 the upper side, with openings oppo- 

 site the leaflets, and in it the rain 

 which falls on the leaves is retained 

 for some time. There are special 

 hairs by which the moisture is said 

 to be absorbed. The fruits, com- 

 monly called keys, are thin, flat, 

 and an inch and a half long. The 

 flowers come out early, before the 

 leaves. This is generally the case 

 with wind-flowers, and is an ad- 



jpcc 



Fig. 182. 

 Fig. 182. — Fraxinus excel- , ,i i i j. j. 



sior. Samara witii half Vantage, as the Icavcs do not get 



removed and the 

 pulled out. Nat. 



m the way of the pollen. Some 

 of the flowers are complete, some 

 have rudimentary stamens, others 

 a rudimentary pistil, and inter- 

 mediate forms occasionally occur, 

 indicating that the transition is not 

 yet fully accomplished. Schulz has 

 observed that the same tree, and even the same branch, 

 difi'ers in these respects in different years. They are 

 protogynous, the stigma being ripe two to four days 

 before the anthers. The anthers when ripe arrange 

 themselves so as to open on the upper side. The ovary. 



seed 

 size, 

 ao, aborted oviiles ; c/^, 

 chalaza ; /, funicle ; pa, 

 placental axis ; ra, raphe. 

 F I o. 183. — Longitudinal 

 section of seed, x 2. cA, 

 chalaza ; e, emhryo ; /, 

 funicle ; p, endosperm ; 

 ra, raphe. 



