Trees of Indiana Part 28

While the native green ash is found growing in swamps, it adapts itself to drier situations. It is planted more than any other species of ash in the cold and dry regions of the West and Northwest.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 127.

FRAXINUS PENNSYLVANICA Marshall. Red Ash. ( 1/2.)]

=4. Fraxinus pennsylvanica= Marshall. Red Ash. White Ash. Swamp Ash.

Plate 127. Usually medium sized trees much like the preceding; twigs velvety p.u.b.escent at maturity; leaves generally 2-3 dm. long, rachis p.u.b.escent; leaflets 5-9, usually 7, generally 5-15 cm. long, on stalks generally about 0.5 cm. long, the terminal one on a stalk 2-4 times as long, leaflets generally ovate, ovate-oblong, or oblong to narrow-oblong, generally with a narrowed base, sometimes rounded and oblique, short or long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins sometimes entire, generally entire near the base, the remainder more or less serrated with shallow teeth, dark green and smooth above, a lighter green beneath and more or less densely p.u.b.escent all over the lower surface, especially on the midrib and veins; calyx persistent, about 1 mm. long; fruit can not be distinguished from the preceding.

=Distribution.=--Quebec to Manitoba, and south to Florida. Found sparingly in all parts of Indiana. It is usually found in low ground, but frequently on bluffs, and flood plain banks.

=Remarks.=--This species is not commonly separated from the white ash group, but in books it is known as the red ash. This is the common name that should be applied to this form.

This species is not usually separated from the preceding, but it is easily distinguished from it by its p.u.b.escent twigs. It can be distinguished from the next by its smaller twigs, smaller calyx and smaller fruit.

The wood is similar to that of the white ash, and the cut is usually sold as that species. In mechanical qualities it is on a par with the green ash.

=5. Fraxinus profunda= Bush. Swell-b.u.t.t Ash. Plate 128. Medium or large trees with fissured bark similar to the white ash; twigs robust and velvety p.u.b.escent at least while young; leaves generally 2-4 dm. long, rachis densely p.u.b.escent, rarely almost smooth; leaflets 5-9, generally 7, on stalks 0.5-1 cm. long, the terminal one on a stalk 2-4 times as long, leaflets ovate, narrow-ovate to narrow-oblong, narrowed or rounded and oblique at the base, short or long taper-pointed at the apex, margins entire, rarely with a few short teeth, dark green and smooth above, a lighter green and densely p.u.b.escent beneath, rarely somewhat smooth; calyx persistent, generally 4-5 mm. long, rarely as short as 3 mm.; fruit ripening in September and October, linear, generally 4-6 cm.

long, variable in size and shape, body about 1/3 the length of the samara, compressed or flattened and gradually narrowed to the base, the striations on the face of the body not prominent and usually not distinct the full length of the body, samara often unilateral or somewhat falcate; wings notched or merely rounded at the apex, decurrent on the body 1/4-1/2 its length, sometimes almost terminal.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 128.

FRAXINUS PROFUNDA Bush. Swell-b.u.t.t or Pumpkin Ash. ( 1/2.)]

=Distribution.=--Virginia, Indiana and Missouri, and south to Florida.

In Indiana the distribution has not been determined. It is a common to an infrequent tree of the river sloughs and cypress swamps of the southwestern counties. Authentic specimens are at hand from Knox, Gibson, Posey, Perry, Bartholomew, Jackson, Marion and Daviess Counties, and specimens from Hamilton, Tipton and Starke Counties, I doubtfully refer to this species. The preferred habitat of this species is inundated swamps, and when it grows in such situations it generally develops a base swollen to a point somewhat above the water level. In Bartholomew County it was found a.s.sociated with the cow oak, and the trunk resembled the white ash.

=Remarks.=--This species is known by authors and commercially as pumpkin ash. The wood is similar to white ash but is inferior to that species.

On account of its habitat this species was little cut until the past few years when ash became scarce. During the past few years most of the deep river and cypress swamps have been invaded and all of the ash cut.

=6. Fraxinus quadrangulata= Michaux. Blue Ash. Plate 129. Medium to large sized trees with light gray bark, not regularly fissured, scaly at least above; twigs and branchlets more or less distinctly 4-angled, the angles of vigorous shoots develop corky wings about 2 mm. high; leaves generally 2-3 dm. long; leaflets 7-11, generally 7-15 cm. long, on short stalks, usually 1-5 mm. long, sometimes sessile, the terminal one on a stalk generally about 1-2 cm. long, leaflets ovate to lanceolate, narrowed or rounded at the base, generally long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins rather regularly and coa.r.s.ely serrated with short incurved teeth, yellow-green and smooth above, about the same color beneath and generally smooth except along the veins, midrib and petiolules which are permanently p.u.b.escent; calyx very small, usually about 0.5 mm. long, and persisting more or less in fruit; fruit ripens last of June to August, samaras twisted, generally 3-4 cm. long and 8-10 mm. wide, rounded at the base, notched or rounded and apiculate at the apex, the apical end of all specimens at hand twisted to the right, the wing surrounds the body.

=Distribution.=--Southern Ontario to Iowa, and south to northern Alabama and Arkansas. Found sparingly in most parts of Indiana, except the northwest part. There are no records northwest of White and n.o.ble Counties. In the northern two-thirds of the State it is a rare to very rare tree, generally found only along the bluffs of streams. In many areas it is so rare that even the pioneers do not know the tree. It was the most frequent in the southeastern part of the State. Here also it is found princ.i.p.ally along the higher banks of streams. While the species is confined princ.i.p.ally to high ground it also grew in lower ground. The largest tree seen is on level ground at a fork of the road between Charlestown and Jeffersonville about 3 miles northeast of Jeffersonville. In 1918 this tree measured 28.2 dm. (104-1/2 inches) in circ.u.mference breast high.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 129.

FRAXINUS QUADRANGULATA Michaux. Blue Ash. ( 1/2.)]

This species has not been observed in the "k.n.o.b" area of the State or anywhere in the flats of the Lower Wabash Valley. Schneck reports it as rare on the hills of this area. The tree is too rare to definitely determine its a.s.sociates, although sugar maple is usually found with it.

=Remarks.=--This species is becoming too scarce to be of much economic importance. The cut is usually sold as white ash. The uses of the wood are practically the same as the white ash.

The fruit and foliage of this species most closely resembles that of the black ash, from which it can be distinguished by its greenish-yellow foliage and the habitat in which it grows.

=7. Fraxinus ngra= Marshall. Black Ash. Plate 130. Medium sized, tall and straight trees with a light gray bark, broken up into small thin plates on old trunks; twigs round, robust and smooth at maturity; leaves 2.5-4 dm. long, leaflets generally 7-11 and 7-13 cm. long, sessile, the terminal one generally on a stalk 0.5-1 cm. long, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, narrowed or rounded at the base, and short or long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins coa.r.s.ely and rather irregularly serrate with short teeth which are usually somewhat incurved, dark green and glabrous above, not much lighter beneath and glabrous or p.u.b.escent along the midrib and larger veins; calyx and corolla none; fruit ripens the last of June to August, similar to the fruit of the blue ash, samaras generally 3-4 cm. long, and 7-10 mm. wide, body winged all around, the base of the samara rounded, the apex notched or rounded, the apical end of the samara twisted more or less to the right in all specimens at hand.

=Distribution.=--Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to Virginia and northern Arkansas. Local in all parts of Indiana except in the "k.n.o.b" area of the State. It is generally found in places that are inundated much of the winter season. Its habitat is in cold swampy woods or similar places about lakes. It has no special affinity for streams. It is local in its distribution. Where it is found it is generally a frequent to common tree. In the lake area of Indiana its habitat conditions are frequent, consequently colonies of it are frequent. South of the lake area of the State it becomes rare to extremely local. In the southwest part of the State it has been sparingly found in a few cypress swamps. It is usually a.s.sociated with white elm, cottonwood, aspens, red maple, bur oak, and is one of the first species to invade extinct tamarack swamps.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 130.

FRAXINUS NIGRA Marshall. Black Ash. ( 1/2.)]

=Remarks.=--The wood is tougher but in most qualities is inferior to white ash and cannot be used for handles. The layers of growth separate easily which enables the wood to be separated into thin strips. This fact was known to the Indians who used this wood for making baskets.

This use was continued by the white man and in addition it was a favorite wood for making hoops, and in many sections it is known as the "hoop ash." The wood has many uses such as for baskets, splint boxes, b.u.t.ter tubs, vehicle stock, interior finish, furniture, etc. The black burls of the trunk are much sought for by veneer manufacturers.

=2. ADeLIA.=

=Adelia ac.u.minata Michaux.= Pond Brush. Crooked Brush, Plate 131. Small trees, or shrub like, with gray smooth bark, becoming rough or fissured on large trees, the ridges short and broken; branchlets numerous and somewhat spiny; twigs glabrous; leaves opposite on petioles about 1 cm.

long, ovate to elliptic-ovate, 4-11 cm. long, with a long narrow base, long ac.u.minate at the apex, margins entire near the base, the remainder more or less coa.r.s.ely serrated with short rounded teeth, rarely entire, smooth above and beneath; flowers appear last of March to the first of May, the staminate in small sessile cl.u.s.ters along the branchlets, the pistillate in short panicles; fruit a dark purple drupe, oblong, about 15 mm. long; stone with many longitudinal ribs.

=Distribution.=--Southwestern Indiana and southern Illinois south to northern Florida and Texas. In Indiana it has been found only in Knox, Gibson, Posey and Perry Counties. It grows on the low borders of river sloughs, swamps and river banks. It is very tolerant of shade and may be found growing under larger trees. It usually forms dense thickets on the bank that surrounds standing water and is usually a.s.sociated with b.u.t.ton-bush. A straight specimen is rarely seen because the area where it grows overflows each winter, and the small trees are usually covered more or less with debris, and then the following season the side branches a.s.sume a vertical growth. The top may be released by the next inundation, and then other branches may a.s.sume leadership, and so on until the top is a ma.s.s of branches growing in several directions. The specimens found in Perry County grew on the low bank of the Ohio River about 6 miles east of Cannelton. The species is quite local in the area where it is found. It may border one river slough, and be entirely absent from another nearby.

=Remarks.=--Of no economic use. In books it is called "swamp privet" but in the area where it grows it is not known by that name.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 131.

ADELIA Ac.u.mINATA Michaux. Pond Brush. Crooked Brush. ( 1/2.)]

=BIGNONIaCEAE.= The Trumpet Creeper Family.

=CATaLPA.= The Catalpas.

Leaves simple, opposite or whorled, with long petioles; flowers in terminal panicles or corymbs; fruit a long round pod which splits into halves; seed many, flat, papery with a tuft of long hairs at each end.

A small genus of widely distributed trees. The species freely hybridize, and have been cultivated and planted so extensively that it is difficult to find typical specimens.

Bark of old trees thin and scaly; odor of bruised leaves fetid; lower lobe of corolla entire. 1 Catalpa bignonioides.

Bark of old trees fissured and ridgy; odor of bruised leaves not fetid; lower lobe of corolla notched at the apex. 2 Catalpa speciosa.

=1. Catalpa bignoniodes= Walter. Catalpa. (_Catalpa Catalpa_ (Linnaeus) Karsten). Plate 132. Medium to large sized trees, usually with a trunk 1-3 meters in length, and a wide crown; bark a grayish-brown, scaly and flaking off in small thin plates; leaves ovate, blades usually 1.5-2 dm.

long, cordate at the base, taper-pointed at apex, margins entire, or with 1 or 2 lateral lobes, yellow-green and smooth above, and p.u.b.escent beneath; flowering period the last of May to the first of July, about two weeks later than the next species; inflorescence in a rather compact large panicle; flowers white, usually 2-3 cm. across at expanded end; marked on the lower inner surface by two rows of yellow blotches, the lower lobes marked with purplish spots, the lower lobe entire or nearly so; fruit a long pod, generally 4-10 develop in each panicle, usually 1.5-4 dm. long, about 1 cm. thick, somewhat flattened, the valves meeting at an angle which forms a ridge which is sensible to the fingers, the valves of the pod are thin, and become flat after they open; seed 2.5-4.5 cm. long, including the tufts of hairs at each end, and about 4-5 mm. wide, the tuft of hairs usually converging to a point.

=Distribution.=--Supposed to be native to parts of Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. It has been introduced throughout the eastern part of the United States. In Indiana it has been used in all parts as an ornamental and shade tree. It has few qualities to recommend it, and since the difference between this and the next species has been known the next species is usually subst.i.tuted for it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 132.

CATALPA BIGNONIOIDES Walter. Catalpa. ( 1/2.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Plate 133.

CATALPA SPECIOSA Warder. Catalpa. Hardy Catalpa. ( 1/2.)]

=2. Catalpa specisa= Warder. Catalpa. Hardy Catalpa. Catalfa. Plate 133. Medium to large sized trees with long and rather straight trunks when grown in the forest; bark dark grayish-brown, fissured and much resembling the bark of a linden or black walnut in appearance; leaves ovate, generally 1.5-3 dm. long, cordate or somewhat rounded at the base, long taper-pointed at apex, margins entire, dark green and smooth above, p.u.b.escent beneath; flowering period May or June; flowers in large terminal panicles, white with yellow and purplish spots within, expanded part about 4 cm. across; fruit a long cylindrical pod which matures late in autumn or early winter, 2-5 dm. long, and about 1.5 cm. in diameter, usually 1 or 2 and rarely 3 pods develop in a panicle, the valves of the pod remaining semi-terete after separating; seed many, thin and papery, 2.5-5 cm. long, and 4-8 mm. wide, body of samara about equals in length the tuft of hairs at each end, the hairs remain separated and are little inclined to form a tuft at the end.