APETAL/t 181 
highly astringent. The Elms are also bitter and 
mucilaginous in character. 
The Wych Elm differs considerably in habit from 
the Common Elm, having a twisted trunk which 
branches, soon giving off long tapering branches which 
droop at their extremity. The Common Elm is an 
erect tree which sends up some distance from the 
ground two main trunks, with smaller ones which are 
either ascending or horizontal. 
In the Wych Elm the seed is in the centre of the 
samara or winged capsule. 
In the Common Elm the seed is above the centre 
of the samara. The former produces fertile seed 
commonly, and also suckers; the latter rarely ripens 
its seed, and is planted or reproduced mainly by 
suckers. It fruits successfully on the Continent. 
The Elms are deciduous trees, with a thick trunk, 
often reaching a height of 80 ft. The bark is thick, 
cracked longitudinally and horizontally with age. 
They have a watery juice. The leaves are in two 
rows, simple, asymmetrical, with stipules, rough or 
smooth, oblique. 
The flowers are bisexual, in clustered cymes, not 
catkins like many of the trees. The perianth consists 
of four to five segments, which are free or united, bell- 
shaped, persistent. There are four to nine stamens, 
which are inserted on the calyx, and opposite the 
lobes. 
The styles are two in number. The ovary is one 
to two-celled, with solitary ovules. 
