274. WHITE ASH (_Fraxinus americana_ L.) a common, rather large tree of
widespread and various habitat. Leaves: opposite, pinnately compound, 5
to 9 but usually 7 leaflets, entire or with obscure or rounded teeth, 3
to 5 inches long and 1½ to 3 wide, dark green above and paler beneath.
Twigs: stout, gray or light brown in winter, with large, roundish
leaf-scars concave or notched on upper side. Bark: dark brown or gray,
broken by many narrow fissures. Flowers: dioecious, the staminate
clusters often mistaken for seeds when they harden and cling through
winter, a condition caused by the sting of an insect mite. Fruit: nearly
cylindrical seed with a thin wing attached, oar-shaped, 1 to 2½ inches
long, in dense clusters. Wood: heavy, hard, tough, strong, brown;
valuable for tool handles, oars, furniture and interiors; valued as a
shade tree.
275. GREEN ASH (_Fraxinus pennsylvanica_ var. _lanceolata_ Sarge.)
prefers bottom lands. Leaves: differ from white ash in the leaf color
which is light or bright green on both sides, margins more sharply
serrate and serrations extending nearly to the base, leaflets narrower.
Fruit: wings extend more than half way along two sides of the seed
portion. Twigs: leaf-scar straight or nearly so on upper side. Since
this tree often hybridizes with the white ash, the species are sometimes
hard to distinguish.
276. SPRING HERALD (_Adelia pubescens_ Nutt.) spring goldenglow, or
devil’s elbow; an abundant shrub of medium height, widespread but
preferring upland woods. Leaves: simple, opposite, ¾ to 1½ inches long,
blunt, with fine, rounded teeth. Twigs: light, gray, zigzag or tangled.
Flowers: dioecious, very early, petal-less, clusters of stamens pale
yellow, pistillate flowers greenish. Fruit: oval, bluish, ripen and fall
early in summer. These bushes make dense cover for birds and small
animals. It is always distinguishable from swamp holly by its opposite
twigs. K (p. 287).
[Illustration: 276 spring herald]
277. SWAMP PRIVET (_Adelia acuminata_ Poir.) a tall shrub or rarely a
small tree growing only in low or swampy woods where fairly common.
Leaves: opposite, usually 1½ to 3 inches long and about an inch wide,
margins entire or finely serrate, tips acuminate. Twigs and BARK: dark,
rather smooth with light dots. Flowers: similar to spring herald. Fruit:
elongated, usually tapering.
[Illustration: 277 swamp privet]