Mon, 03 May 2004 11:47:24 -0500 Monique Reed wrote:

Look at a leaf scar--where a leaf has fallen. If you can't find one,
snap off a leaf at the base. White Ash, Fraxinus americana will have
leaf scars shaped like a U--rounded on the bottom and quite concave on
the top. Green Ash, F. pennsylvanica, has leaf scars round on the
bottom and nearly straight across the top, like a sideways D. This
usually works. Fruit characters are helpful too, but fruit aren't
always handy.

M. Reed


I wonder if the difference of a species of trees can come so close as to be
a small visual difference of between whether a leaf has convex shape or
concave shape.

Can someone tell me what the smallest difference is between 2 different
species of trees? Perhaps the ashes possess the smallest of differences.

In the other extreme of huge differences we can cite the dog species in
that they come in all sizes and shapes and colors yet they are the same
species. Anyone know what species has the hugest range of differences for
trees of the same species? Likewise, (repeating my question) what tree
species has the narrowest range of difference and yet still 2 distinct
species.

Several nights ago I was watching PBS of a program of ancient DNA on King
Tut of ancient Egypt where the DNA could tell that the family dynasty had
fresh blood mixed in and not collapsed into inbreeding. What I am getting
at is whether scientists have yet quantified as to how much at minimum must
the A,C,T,G vary in order for there to be 2 different species. And
likewise, how much of the A,C,T,G varies in dogs even though they are one
species yet so diverse in shape and size and other characteristics.

If Ash trees were intelligent life and went around inspecting humans, it
would be puzzling that ash of pennsyl and americ are different species yet
virtually identical in shape form and physical attributes, yet humans come
in a huge range of physical attributes yet all one species.

There needs to be some questions and answers as to why plants can be so
similar physically yet be multiple species, whereas in animals they can be
so diverse range of physical characteristics yet all one species. I believe
some answer to this may help with the concept of quantum duality between
plant and animal kingdoms. That the genetics of plants allows for different
species who have nearly identical physical attributes, whereas in animals
there rarely exists 2 different species with nearly identical physical
attributes.

Instead of leaf scars, I wonder if green ash and white ash can be discerned
from the leaf tip itself. Where Monique describes a concave for white ash.
Instead of scars I wonder if the tip of the leaf can decide. I notice on my
green ash that the leaf tip has a very pointed tip resulting from J and
reverse J whereas the tip of white ash is a blunt tip resulting from a D
and reverse D. One is concave inward and the other concave outward.

I wonder if that tip inspection is a true rule to follow. I would have to
inspect alot of mature green and white ash but I encounter mostly only
green ash in the wild.

Archimedes Plutonium
whole entire Universe is just one big atom where dots
of the electron-dot-cloud are galaxies
www.archimedesplutonium.com
www.iw.net/~a_plutonium