URTICACEAE 



Cork Elm. Rock Elm 



Ulmus racemosa, Thomas. [Ulmus Thomasi, Sarg.] 



HABIT. A large tree sometimes reaching a height of 100 

 feet and a trunk diameter of 5 feet, but usually somewhat 

 smaller; strongly drooping lateral and lower branches form a 

 narrow, oblong crown. 



LEAVES. Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, one-half as 

 broad ; obovate to oblong-oval, more or less dished ; coarsely 

 doubly serrate ; thick and firm ; lustrous, dark green above, pale- 

 pubescent beneath; petioles pubescent, *4 mcn long. 



FLOWERS. March- April, before the leaves; mostly per- 

 fect ; greenish ; borne on slender, drooping pedicels in loose 

 racemes; calyx campanulate, 7-8-lobed; corolla o; stamens, 7-8, 

 with purple anthers ; ovary hairy, 2-styled. 



FRUIT. May; ovate, i-seeded samaras, pubescent all over, 

 l / 2 inch long. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud absent; lateral buds ovoid, 

 acute, brown, pilose, ^ mc 'h long. 



BARK. Twigs at first light brown and pubescent, becoming 

 lustrous, red-brown, finally gray-brown with corky, wing-like 

 ridges ; thick and grayish on the trunk, with wide fissures sepa- 

 rating broad, flat, scaly ridges. 



WOOD. Heavy, very strong and tough, close-grained, light 

 red-brown, with thick, lighter colored sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION. Frequent in the southern third of the 

 Lower Peninsula. 



HABITAT. Dry, gravelly uplands; rocky ridges and 

 slopes ; heavy clay soils ; river-banks. 



NOTES. A good street tree, but less graceful in habit than 

 U. americana. 



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