Mountain Ash (The)

or “Rowantree,” botanically called Pyrus aucuparĭa, which does not belong to the same family of plants as the fraxĭnus, or Common Ash. The Mountain Ash is icosandria, but the Common Ash is diandria. The Mountain Ash is pentagynĭa, but the Common Ash is monogynĭa. The Mountain Ash is of the Natural Order rosacĕæ, but the common Ash is of the Natural Order sepiarĭæ; yet the two trees resemble each other in many respects. The Rowan or Rown-tree is called in Westmoreland the “Wiggen-tree.” It was greatly venerated by the Druids, and was called the “Witchen” by the early Britons, because it was supposed to ward off witches.