ZANTHOXYLUM ZELKOVA 693 



Native of China, Corea, and Japan. It very much resembles Z. piperitum 

 in leaf, but differs in its spines being solitary (not in pairs), and in its flatter 

 inflorescence produced at the end of the current year's shoot in August. 



ZELKOVA. URTICACE^:. 



Nearly allied to the elms, the four species of Zelkova at present in 

 cultivation are amongst the most interesting and handsome of hardy trees, 

 They have smooth, beech-like trunks with a scaling bark, and deciduous, 

 alternate, coarsely toothed, feather-nerved leaves, usually harsh to the 

 touch like those of elm. Flowers unisexual ; both sexes produced on the 

 same twig, the males at the base, the females solitary in the leaf-axils 

 above them; both sexes small, green, and of no beauty. Seed-vessel 

 roundish, to \ in. long, with the calyx adhering at the base, slightly 

 horned at the top (winged in Z. Davidiana). 



The Zelkovas should be grown in deep, moist, loamy soil where the 

 position is moderately sheltered. Z. crenata is the best known of them, 

 and appears to be adapted to all but the most inclement parts of Britain. 

 Both it and Z. acuminata should be raised from imported seed, although 

 they can probably be grafted on elm, as are the other two species. 



Z. CRETICA, Spach, not in cultivation, is a shrubby species found in 

 Crete and Cyprus, whose small leaves are thickly downy beneath and 

 coarsely, angularly toothed. 



Z. ACUMINATA, Planchon. KEAKI. 



(Z. Keaki, Afaximowicz.') 



A tree 100 or even 120 ft. high in Japan, with a tall, smooth, grey trunk? 

 5 to 10 ft. in diameter; young shoots at first slightly downy, soon becoming 

 almost smooth. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 2 to 4^ ins. long, f to 2 ins. 

 wide; long and taper-poihted, rounded or slightly heart-shaped at the base, 

 with six to thirteen coarse teeth at each side; each tooth with a short, 

 slender point; dark green and furnished with short, scattered hairs above, 

 paler and smooth beneath ; stalk fa to | in. long. Flowers produced in April 

 and May on short twigs, the males being borne two or more together at each 

 joint of the leafless bases of the twigs, the females solitary in the axils of 

 the leaves at the end; both small, green, and of no beauty. Fruit roundish, 

 about fa in. diameter. 



Introduced from Japan to England by John Gould Veitch in 1861; native 

 also of Corea and Qhina. Although this tree is described as producing the 

 most highly esteemed of all timbers in its native country tough, elastic, 

 and durable in Great Britain it has not proved a great success, and during 

 the fifty years that have elapsed since its introduction, few trees have reached 

 more than 30 ft. in height. Judging by the trees at Kew, which have been 

 growing in a favoured situation in good soil, its branches have a tendency 

 to spread rather than grow in height in an open position. It is at the same 

 time an elegant and interesting tree. In a young state it appears liable to 

 injury by spring frosts. From Z. crenata, it is distinguished readily by the 

 smooth twigs and under-surface of the leaves, and by the taper-pointed, 

 thinner leaves with longer, pointed teeth. 



