{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{speciesbox |image = Fraxinus albicans.jpg |genus = Fraxinus |parent = Fraxinus sect. Melioides |species = albicans |authority = Buckley |range_map = Fraxinus texensis range map 4.png |range_map_caption = Natural range of ''Fraxinus albicans'' |range_map2 = Fraxinus texensis range map 3.png |range_map2_caption = Close-up of natural range of ''Fraxinus albicans'' |synonyms = {{species list |Fraxinus americana ''var.'' texensis|A. Gray (1878) |Fraxinus americana ''subsp.'' texensis|(A. Gray) G.N. Mill. |Fraxinus texensis| (A. Gray) Sarg. }} }}

'''''Fraxinus albicans''''', commonly called the '''Texas ash''',<ref name=usda>{{PLANTS|id=fral3|taxon=Fraxinus albicans|accessdate=17 February 2018}}</ref> is a species of tree in the olive family (Oleaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found from eastern Texas and southern Oklahoma in the United States, to the state of Durango in Mexico.<ref>{{BONAP|ref|genus=Fraxinus|species=albicans|accessdate=17 February 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=fral3 ''Fraxinus albicans''] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Society</ref> Its natural habitat is in dry, rocky slopes, often over limestone.<ref name=obs>[http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/shrub/frte.htm ''Fraxinus texensis''] Oklahoma Biological Survey</ref>

==Description== It is a small deciduous tree growing to 10 m tall, with a trunk up to 30&nbsp;cm diameter. The leaves are 13–21&nbsp;cm long, pinnately compound with usually five rounded leaflets 3–7.5&nbsp;cm long and 2–5&nbsp;cm broad. The flowers are purple, produced in small clusters in early spring; like all ashes, the Texas ash is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees. The fruit is a samara 1.5–3&nbsp;cm long, with an apical wing. It is long-lived and drought tolerant.<ref name=obs/>

Like other species in the section ''Melioides'', ''Fraxinus albicans'' is dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate individuals.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1007/s00606-008-0005-3|title=Systematics of ''Fraxinus'' (Oleaceae) and evolution of dioecy|year=2008|last1=Wallander|first1=Eva|journal=Plant Systematics and Evolution|volume=273|issue=1–2|pages=25–49|bibcode=2008PSyEv.273...25W |s2cid=24152294}}</ref>

==Taxonomy== ''Fraxinus albicans'' is closely related to ''Fraxinus americana'' (white ash), and is sometimes treated as a variety of it.<ref name=grin>{{GRIN | accessdate = 21 January 2018}}</ref><ref name=obs/> Where they co-occur, ''Fraxinus albicans'' is found in dry habitats while ''Fraxinus americana'' is found in mesic bottoms. ''Fraxinus albicans'' can be morphologically distinguished by its smaller leaves, smaller and more rounded leaflets, and smaller samaras.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nesom |first1=Guy |date=2010 |title= Observations on ''Fraxinus albicans'' Buckley (Oleaceae), the correct botanical name for Texas ash |url=http://www.phytoneuron.net/PhytoN-Fraxalbicans.pdf |journal=Phytoneuron |volume=2010 |issue=33 |access-date=17 February 2018}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q22112239|from2=Q5494017}}

albicans Category:Flora of Oklahoma Category:Flora of Texas Category:Dioecious plants Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status