232 



DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



within 15 to 50 feet from the ground, wliich when growing near each other 

 interlace and form graceful curves and arches ; the leading branches some- 

 times reach the height of 120 feet. 



2. U. fulva, Mx. (Slippery Elm. Red Elm.) Trunk 40 to 60 feet high, 

 12 to 25 inches in diameter ; wood reddish-yellow, tough, inner bark highly 

 charged with mucilage. Branches rough, not forking as in No. 1. Leaves 

 oblong-ovate, acuminate, more nearly equal at base than in No. 1, unevenly 

 serrate, pubescent, rough ; buds, before expansion, clothed with soft hairs, 

 large. Flowers at the end of young twigs ; calyx downy and sessile. Sta- 

 mens short, 7. Flowers in April. 



3. U. racemosa, Thomas. (Corky Elm.) Trunk 50 to 80 feet high, li to 3 

 feet in diameter, in habit and appearance like No. 1 ; branches, when young, 

 slightly pubescent ; scales of the buds ciliate ; bark of the branches roughened 



by corky lines. Leaves as in No. 1, 

 with more regular veins. Flowers in 

 racemes, 



4. U. alata, Mx. (Winged Elm.) 

 Trunk 29 to 30 feet high, 10 to 15 

 inches in diameter. Branches here 

 and there roughened with corky 

 ridges, or wings, otherwise smooth ; 

 scales of the buds and young branch- 

 lets glabrous. Leaves unequal at 

 base, downy beneath, oblong-ovate or 

 lanceolate, sharp, thick, small, and 

 doubly serrate; petioles short. 



5. U. campestris, L. (English 

 Elm.) Trunk 60 to 80 feet high, 

 branching irregularly, branches ex- 

 tending sub-horizontally ; bark of a 

 dull lead-color, smooth when young, 

 cracking into irregular strips with 



rather small. Flowers rusty-brown ; 

 and yellow. Flowers in March ; seed 



Ulmus campestris (English Elm). 



age. Leaves rough, doubly serrate, 

 samara oblong, deeply cleft, smooth, 

 ripens in May. 



The English elm is an important timber-tree, and much attention has been 

 given, especially in England, to its cultivation. No tree sports more freely 

 than the elm, and English writers describe about 20 well-marked varieties to 

 be found in Europe. 



There are about a dozen species of the elm, with a large number of varieties. 

 Linnseus went so far as to advance the belief that all the elms are varieties 

 of one species. 



Geography. — The geographical range of the elm extends, in Europe, from 

 the Mediterranean countries to the middle of European Russia ; in America, 

 from the southern banks of the St. Lawrence River to the Gulf of Mexico ; 

 and west to the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains. 



Etymology. — Uimns is from the German ulm, Lati'.iized into ?//?«?/s, supposed 

 to come from the base al, grow, and believed to have been applied on account 

 of the rapid growth of this tree. Elm, the common name, is from the old 

 European name, «?/n or Urn. The specific names of the American species are 



