SPRtNG-FLOWERiNG TREES AND SHRUBS 



71 



sides. They are often placed in the same order ( Urticacece) as the 

 well-known Stinging Nettles, but some authorities form a distinct 

 order for these two species alone, under the name of Ulmacece. 



The Common Elm is not indigenous, but was introduced into 

 our country by the Romans. It is, however, one of our commonest 

 trees, and is especially abundant in the South. The midrib of 

 the leaf is covered below with irritating, glandular hairs, somewhat 

 resembling those of nettles in structure and function ; and the 

 stipules are deciduous, falling early in the season. The flowers 

 are perfect, appearing before the leaves in March and April, and 

 are in small, dense clusters, principally on the topmost branches. 

 Each flower has a httle, bell-shaped, persistent perianth ; a superior 

 ovary with two styles ; and four or five stamens with black anthers. 

 The fruits are very thin oval samaras with the seeds above the 

 centre, but they seldom ripen in our country. They are produced 

 in such abundance that the ground is often almost completely 

 covered with them when 

 they fall. Botanists 

 recognise several varie- 

 ties of this species, but 

 these differ so slightly 

 from one another that 

 they are barely dis- 

 tinguishable. The Com- 

 mon Elm throws off a 

 large number of suckers 

 from its roots, often 

 producing a dense under- 

 growth round its bole. 



The Wych Elm is a 

 native of our country, 

 and is also very com- 

 mon, but it occurs 

 principally in the woods 

 of the North. It is 

 very similar in general 

 appearance to the last 



species, which it also resembles in having several barely 

 distinguishable varieties; but it generally attains a much greater 

 girth, and does not throw off such an abundance of suckers from its 

 roots. Its twigs are downy ; and the leaves, which are larger than 



THE ELM IN FLOWER. 



