48 EUCOMMIACEAE. 
EUCOMMIA. 
(Family Eucommiaceae). 
Tree: deciduous. Twigs moder- 
ate, terete, somewhat zig-zag: pith 
pale, rounded, chambered. Buds 
solitary, sessile, ovoid, moderate, 
with some half-dozen exposed 
scales, the end-bud absent. Leaf- 
scars alternate, often 2-ranked, 
rather small, half-elliptical, little 
raised: bundle-trace 1, C-shaped: 
stipule-scars lacking. 
Eucommia has attracted atten- 
tion because of the occurrence in 
its organs of a peculiar type of 
rubber-producing cells, which ap- 
pear as delicate elastic cords 
when leaf or twig is broken. Ac- 
cording to Weiss, who published 
an account of them in 1892 in the 
botanical series of the Transac- 
tions of the Linnean Society, 
these cells differ morphologically 
from the latex tissue of other plants in that they originate 
here from new initials in the developing organs, while in 
other cases their development is progressive and continuous 
from a few initial cells formed in the embryo. 
The name ulmoides is given because of the elm-like habit 
of growth of the tree, which is of recent introduction but is 
proving hardy and so is likely to find an extended use. 
Though no industrial application may be made of it, the fact 
that Eucommia contains rubber is not to be overlooked at a 
time when every possible source of that essential substance is 
being investigated. 
Glabrous: twigs red-brown, with pale lenticels. E. ulmoides, 
