Medium-sized trees. Buds greyish-brown; branchlets with small, light coloured lenticels. Leaves opposite or in whorls of three, c. 20 cm long; leaflets 3-7, 4-7 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, ovate, long-acuminate, coarsely serrate, green and glabrous on both sides, sessile. Inflorescence decussate on shoots of the previous year appearing before the leaves; flowers bisexual; pedicels 5-8 mm long. Bracts 1-3 mm long, often divided, covered with brown hairs. Calyx and corolla lacking. Anthers purple, with short filament (c. 1 mm), greatly exceeded by pistil. Stigma hardly 2-lobed, pointed at apex. Samarae oblanceolate, twisted when ripe, c. 3 cm long, rachis 3-6 cm long.

Fl. Per.: February-March. Fruit: October.

Type: Described from Syria.

Distribution: Southern Europe, Anatolia, Palestine, Persia, Afghanistan, cultivated in Pakistan.

It appears that this variety is only found under cultivation in Pakistan; frequently planted as an avenue tree; subtropical and temperate zone. Quite hardy against frost and drought.

Fraxinus oxycarpa is a very polymorphous species, and the number of leaflets is not constant on a single tree. As the shape of the leaflets differs and the flowers show slight differences also, it seems justified to place this taxon as a variety of Fraxinus oxycarpa as done by Wenzig, l.c.

Some more species of Ash may be expected under cultivation. It has been reported that in Abbottabad some recent introductions are doing well.