260 WILSON EXPEDITION TO CHINA 



Meyer (No. 109; sterile). Transbaikal: " e Sibiria," July 1825, Fisc^ier (corky 

 winged branchlet with young leaves in Herb. Gray). 



The specimens referred above to the typical U. japonica have more or less hairy 

 branchlets and petioles and the color of the branchlets in the autumn of the first 

 year or in the second year is hght yellow or pale brown or tawny. The shape of the 

 fruits is somewhat variable, and they are not always entirely glabrous. Especially 

 the fruits of Wilson's No. 6777 are more or less minutely hairy on the disk, and it 

 needs further observation to decide if this pubescence affords any good character 

 for distinguishing a variety. The texture of the leaves is very firm, and they are 

 more or less softly pubescent beneath when young and rather rough on both sides 

 later in the season, while in the following variety the leaves usually are thinner 

 and smooth. With its glabrous young shoots Faurie's No. 5877 is somewhat inter- 

 mediate between the type and var. levigata, which seems to be absent from Hondo 

 and even from Hokkaido. See also the note under U. macrocarpa Hance (p. 252). 



In Japan this Elm is found from extreme southern Kyushu northward through 

 Hondo and Hokkaido to Saghahen. South of the Nikko region in Hondo, it is a 

 rare tree, and it is nowhere really common south of Hokkaido, although at the west- 

 em end of Lake Chuzenji it forms nearly pure woods of no great size. In moist 

 valleys in Hokkaido, and especially in the central and northern parts of this island, 

 it is abundant and is one of the most prominent and important constituents of the 

 forest. In Japanese Saghalien it is also common and grows to a larger size than any 

 other deciduous tree. At its best the Japanese Elm is a handsome and lofty tree, 

 often 30 m. or more tall, with a trunk 6 m. in girth. In the forests the trunk is clear 

 of branches for from 10 to 20 m. from the ground. In the open, however, the trunk 

 usually divides into several ascending-spreading stems at about 5 or 6 m. from the 

 ground, and such trees in habit resemble the American Ehn ( U. americana Linnaeus) 

 more than they do that of any other Asiatic or any European species. The bark is 

 light gray, slightly fissured and fibrous; the branches are stout and spread to 

 form a broad flattened or rounded crown. 



Vernacular names for this tree are Nire and Aka-damo. By timber surveyors of 

 foreign governments this tree is knowTi as Red Ash, and under this trade name 

 the lumber is exported. The wood warps badly and is of comparatively httle 

 value though it lasts well in water. To the Ainu or aboriginal people of Japan this 

 Elm is of importance, though formerly much more so than now. The inner layers 

 of the bark after maceration, brought about by soaking in warm stagnant water for 

 some ten days, are woven into cloth which formerly was in general use for making 

 wearing apparel. The bark is always largely used by these people for roofing and 

 covering the sides of their huts, and the dried roots were formerly used to generate 

 fire by friction. Naturally such an important and useful tree figures largely in Ainu 

 mythology. A great many of these people believe it was the first of all trees, and 

 that it was sent direct from Heaven already grown. Now, however, in spite of its 

 usefulness it is looked upon as a tree of ill omen and is supposed to harbor evil 

 spirits. 



Pictures of this Elm will be found under Nos. x244, x245, x250, x298, x375, x411, 

 x427, x432 of the collection of my Japanese photographs. E. H. W. 



Ulmus japonica, var. levigata Schneider, n. var. 



Ulmus pumila Pallas, Fl. Ross. I. pt. 1, 77, t. 48, fig. B (non Linnaeus) (1784), 



quoad formam ramuUs suberosis. 

 ? Ulmus campestris, var. 7najor Miyabe and Miyake, Fl. Saghal. 403 (non Wal- 

 pers) (1915). — Some of the synonyms quoted above may, at least partly, 

 belong to this variety. 



