Handbook of Trees of the JSToetherit States and Canada. 401 



The beautiful Fringe-tree rarely attains a 

 greater size than 25 or 30 ft. in height and 

 8 to 10 in. in diameter of trunk, and is often 

 a shrub sending vip several stout spreading 

 stems from a common base. When isolated it 

 develops a low rounded or oblong top of tortu- 

 ous branches. It inhabits rich moist soil of 

 sheltered ravines and the banks of streams, 

 and is a tree of singular beauty in May and 

 June, when its light green foliage is inter- 

 spersed with numerous tassel-like or fringe-like 

 flowers of snowy whiteness, very different from 

 the flowers of all other trees. 



There are several names by which the tree 

 is known, as Old Man's Beard, Grandfather 

 Graybeard, Sunfloicer Tree, Snow-flower Tree, 

 Flowering Ash, etc., all alluding to its singular 

 flowers. On account of these and its handsome 

 foliage it is popular as an ornamental shade- 

 tree throughout eastern United States and 

 Europe, and proves hardy considerably north 

 of its native range. 



The wood is moderately light, a cubic foot 



when absolutely dr^' weighing 39.71 lbs., hard 



and close-grained, though of no commericial 



importance. The bark is used in medicine as 



a tonic, aperient and diuretic. 



Leaves oblong or sometimes ovate or obovate. 

 4-8 in. long, cuneate at base, mostly acute or 

 acuminate at apex, entire, when tbey unfold 

 glabrous above, velvety pubescent beneath, at ma- 

 turity dark-green above, paler and glabrous except 

 on the conspicuous arcuate veins beneath. Flowers 

 (Ma.v-June), delicate, fragrant, in slender drooping 

 panicles with sessile leaf-like persistent bracts ; 

 petals 1 in. long, white, purple-spotted within at 

 base. Fruit ripe in September, %-% in. long, 

 dark blue with glaucous bloom and thin pulp' 



1. For genus see p. 4.j."i. 



