Fraxinus 867 



the seat of H. Imbert Terry, Esq., who has sent specimens, is remarkably distinct 

 in the shape of the foHage from any ash known to me; but is probably only 

 a variety of the common ash, with which it agrees in bark and in buds. In the 

 absence of flowers and fruit, this identification is not quite certain, and on that 

 account a full description is now given : Leaflets (Plate 266, Fig. 32), nine to 

 thirteen, i^ to 2^ inches long ; terminal leaflet stalked, with a long cuneate base ; 

 lateral leaflets, sessile, broadly oval or ovate, unequal at the usually cuneate, but 

 occasionally broad and rounded base, acute or slightly acuminate at the apex, 

 coarsely bi-serrate, slightly scabrous with scattered stiff hairs on the upper surface, 

 pale beneath with dense woolly pubescence on the sides of the midrib and lateral 

 nerves near the base. Leaf-rachis, strongly winged, the wings meeting above in its 

 apical half, but forming a wide open groove towards the base ; pubescent on the 

 dorsal side with scattered stiff hairs, densest at the nodes. 



This ash resembles in foliage the figure of /^ rotundifolia, Aiton,^ which is 

 given by Willdenow.'^ The latter species, according to Alton, Willdenow, and 

 Loudon,^ is a small tree of Italy, with flowers and buds like F. Ornus', and the 

 Strete Ralegh tree cannot be identified with it, as in all essential characters* it 

 resembles the common ash. 



Nothing is known of the origin of the tree at Strete Ralegh, which Miss 

 Wool ward found in 1905 to be about 75 feet in height, the bole dividing near the 

 ground into two stems, 3 feet i inch and 2 feet 7 inches in girth respectively. 



3. Var. angusti/olia, Schelle. A variety® with small narrow leaves (Plate 262, 

 Fig- 5)) which differs in no essential character from the common ash, of which it 

 has the buds and the characteristic serrations and pubescence of the leaflets ; and in 

 this way can be readily distinguished from such species as F. angusti/olia, Vahl, and 

 F. oxycarpa, Willd. 



4. Var. crispa, Loudon (also known in gardens as var. atrovirens and var. 

 cucullatd). Leaflets dark green, curled and twisted. Plant usually rigid and 

 stunted, of very slow growth. 



5. Var. nana, Loudon (also known in gardens as var. polemoniifolia and var. 

 globosa). A compact slow-growing dwarf form, with very small leaves. 



6. Var. aurea, Loudon. With yellow branches. A pendulous form of this is 

 known. 



7. Var. asplenifolia, Koch. Leaflets very narrow, almost linear. 



8. Var. fungosa, Loddiges. Bark remarkably wrinkled, with corky ridges. 



9. Var. verticillata, Loudon. Leaves whorled, not opposite as in the common 

 form. 



10. Var. monstrosa, Koch. Young branches fasciated. 



11. Var. erosa, Persoon. Leaflets incised. 



1 Hort. Kew. iii. 44S (1789). Cf. our remarks on this species under F. Omtis, p. 888. 



s Berlin. Baumzucht, 116, fig. vi. i (1796). 3 ^^^_ et Frut. Brit. ii. 1244 (1838). 



^ Bark and buds especially. The pale under surface of the leaf, which is thin in texture, is seen in common ash seedlings 

 and in some forms of var. monophylla. The strongly-winged lachis of the leaf is characteristic of F. excelsior and its 

 near allies. 



^ Var. elegantissima, in cultivation at Aldenham, obtained from Simon-Louis, is scarcely to be distinguished from this 

 variety. 



