694 ZELKOVA 



Z. CRENATA, Spach. 

 (Planera Richardii, Michaux.*) 



A tree 100 ft. high, with a smooth, beech-like trunk, usually comparatively 

 short (10 to 20 ft. high), dividing into a great number of erect, crowded 

 branches; bark peeling off in flakes; young twigs very downy. Leaves i^ to 

 3 ins. long, f to if ins. wide; ovate or oval, rounded or slightly heart-shaped 

 at the base, with seven to eleven coarse sharp teeth down each side; dark 

 green and with scattered hairs above, paler and more downy beneath; stalk 

 about \ in. long. Flowers on short twigs, the males at the naked base of 

 the twigs, the females in the leaf-axils above them. Fruit about the size of 

 a small pea, distinctly ridged above. 



Native of the Caucasus; introduced in 1760. This remarkable tree is 

 undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and distinct of any that can be 

 grown in this country. It is slow-growing and long-lived, and might very 

 well be used as a commemorative tree in preference to many of the exotic 

 conifers so frequently planted for this purpose. Trees at Kew planted about 

 1760 are now about 60 ft. high. The densely clustered branches, much 

 divided at their extremities, suggest a monstrous besom. The timber is of 

 good quality, being tough and durable, but is apparently unknown in the 

 timber trade. The largest tree in the country appears to be at Wardour 

 Castle, in Wiltshire, about 100 ft. high. It has no distinct trunk, but a 

 clustered group of more than a dozen stems. There is also a fine one at 

 Holm Lacy, Hereford, whose height Mr Elwes gives as 95 ft., its trunk 19 ft. 

 in girth. The species occasionally flowers in this country, and sometimes 

 bears imperfect fruit, which for its proper development needs more summer 

 heat than we experience. 



Z. DAVIDIANA, Franchet. 



(Hemiptelea Davidii, Planchon ; Planera Davidii, Hance.) 



A deciduous tree, apparently not large, armed with stout thorns; young 

 shoots hairy. Leaves oval, f to i\ ins. long, to I in. wide; pointed, slightly 

 heart-shaped at the base, with seven to fifteen teeth along each side; upper 

 surface dark green and at first beset with pale, scattered hairs, each springing 

 from a curious circular depression which, after the hair falls away, turns 

 dark; lower surface smooth except for a few scattered hairs on the midrib 

 and chief veins at first. Fruit conical, \ in. long, scarcely so wide, two-edged, 

 slightly winged, shortly but distinctly stalked; stalk ^ in. long. 



Native of N. and Central China and Corea ; introduced to France by 

 Mr Maurice de Vilmorin, and from his garden at Les Barres to Kew in 1908. 

 It is a promising tree and grows freely, being very distinct from the other 

 species in its thorns and stalked, winged fruit. It is often regarded as 

 generically 'distinct from Zelkova. Its fruits have not been produced with 

 us, but I have seen them in great quantity on the tree at Les Barres. The 

 thorns in wild trees are very formidable, sometimes 4 or 5 ins. long, but 

 they become much less so on our cultivated trees. 



Z. VERSCHAFFELTI, Nicholson. 



(Ulmus Verschaffelti, Hort.} 



A small tree, or unless trained to a single stem, often a bush, with 

 slender spreading shoots, slightly hairy when quite young; winter buds often 

 in pairs. Leaves r to 7\ ins. long, f to if ins. wide; oval or oVate, with 

 usually six to nine "coarse", triangular teeth at the sides (usually fewer on 

 one side than on the other), the larger teeth in. deep; upper surface dark 



