260 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 
Meyer (No. 109; sterile). Transbaikal: “ e Sibiria,” July 1825, Fischer (corky 
winged branchlet with young leaves in Herb. Gray). 
The specimens referred above to the typical U. japonica have more or less hairy 
branchlets and petioles and the color of the branchlets in the autumn of the first 
year or in the second year is light yellow or pale brown or tawny. The shape of the 
fruits is somewhat variable, and they are not always entirely glabrous. Especially 
the fruits of Wilson’s No. 6777 are more or less minutely hairy on the disk, and it 
needs further observation to decide if this pubescence affords any good character 
for distinguishing a variety. The texture of the leaves is very firm, and they are 
more or less softly pubescent beneath when young and rather rough on both sides 
later in the season, while in the following variety the leaves usually are thinner 
and smooth. With its glabrous young shoots Faurie’s No. 5877 is somewhat inter- 
mediate between the type and var. levigata, which seems to be absent from Hondo 
and even from Hokkaido. See also the note under U. macrocarpa Hance (p. 252). 
In Japan this Elm is found from extreme southern Kyushu northward through 
Hondo and Hokkaido to Saghalien. South of the Nikko region in Hondo, it is a 
rare tree, and it is nowhere really common south of Hokkaido, although at the west- 
ern end of Lake Chuzenji it forms nearly pure woods of no great size. In moist 
valleys in Hokkaido, and especially in the central and northern parts of this island, 
it is abundant and is one of the most prominent and important constituents of the 
forest. In Japanese Saghalien it is also common and grows to a larger size than any 
other deciduous tree. At its best the Japanese Elm is a handsome and lofty tree, 
often 30 m. or more tall, with a trunk 6 m. in girth. In the forests the trunk is clear 
of branches for from 10 to 20 m. from the ground. In the open, however, the trunk 
usually divides into several ascending-spreading stems at about 5 or 6 m. from the 
ground, and such trees in habit resemble the American Elm ( U. americana Linnaeus) 
more than they do that of any other Asiatic or any European species. The bark is 
light gray, slightly fissured and fibrous; the branches are stout and spread to 
form a broad flattened or rounded crown. 
Vernacular names for this tree are Nire and Aka-damo. By timber surveyors of | 
foreign governments this tree is known as Red Ash, and under this trade name 
the lumber is exported. The wood warps badly and is of comparatively little 
value, though it lasts well in water. To the Ainu or aboriginal people of Japan this 
Elm is of importance, though formerly much more so than now. The inner layers 
of the bark after maceration, brought about by soaking in warm stagnant water for 
some ten days, are woven into cloth which formerly was in general use for making 
wearing apparel. The bark is always largely used by these people for roofing and 
covering the sides of their huts, and the dried roots were formerly used to generate 
fire by friction. Naturally such an important and useful tree figures largely in Ainu 
mythology. A great many of these people believe it was the first of all trees, and 
that it was sent direct from Heaven already grown. Now, however, in spite of its 
usefulness it is looked upon as a tree of ill omen and is supposed to harbor evil 
spirits. 
Pictures of this Elm will be found under Nos. x244, x245, x250, x298, x375, x411, 
x427, x432 of the collection of my Japanese photographs. io HW. 
Ulmus japonica, var. levigata Schneider, n. var. 
Ulmus pumila Pallas, Fl. Ross. I. pt. 1, 77, t. 48, fig. B (non Linnaeus) (1784), 
quoad formam ramulis suberosis. 
? Ulmus campestris, var. major Miyabe and Miyake, Fl. Saghal. 403 (non Wal- 
pers) (1915). — Some of the synonyms quoted above may, at least partly, 
belong to this variety. 
ean c 
