Common name: Desert Ash
Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. angustifolia Vahl APNI* Description: Deciduous tree to at least 20 m high, with a broad conical head, the lower branches inclined to be horizontal. Winter buds dark brown.
Leaves opposite or ocasionally 3-whorled, mostly 14–20 cm long; leaflets mostly 9–13, sometimes up to 15, coarsely toothed with points glandular, but smooth near the base, base cuneate, apex acuminate, glabrous with upper side of leaf bright green and shiny, underside paler and duller.
Panicles axillary, many-flowered, appearing before leaves; sepals and corolla absent, anthers redidish-purple.
Fruit a samara, in a cluster of 6–10, dried and flattened, elliptic, 3–4 cm long, with the seed confined to the proximal half of the fruit.
Flowering: Flowers in spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Naturalised in the Southern Tablelands (A.C.T.), North Western Slopes (Tamworth), South Western Slopes (Wagga Wagga) and South Western Plains (Moama); also naturalised Vic. and SA. Native to the Mediterranean region and SW Asia. Growing on river banks and floodplains, in grey clayey to red-brown alluvial soils.
NSW subdivisions: *SWP, *NWS, *ST, *SWS
Other Australian states: *Vic. *S.A.
This is a popular street or garden tree, with yellowish autumn leaves, that has naturalised in a few localities.
Text by B.J. Conn (2004); edited KL Wilson (April 2009); edited Louisa Murray (June 2016)
Taxon concept: J.A. Jeanes, Fl.Victoria (1999)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
|
