432 ULMUS. [class v. order ii. 



and wiry. Leaves alternate, rhomboid, ovate, from one to two inches 

 long, with an acuminated point, unequal at the base, in a wedge- 

 shaped manner, the margins irregularly and doubly serrated, the larger 

 teeth curved upwards, dark green on the upper side, and rough, with 

 short rigid points, paler beneath, and scattered over with hairs, the 

 mid-rib and almost straight lateral veins pale, prominent, and mostly 

 in the axis of the ribs the pubescence is most abundant. Floivers 

 much earlier than the leaves, in dense tufts, bursting through the 

 brown scaly buds, each elevated on a short footstalk, and having at its 

 base a small oblong bractea, mostly fringed on the margin. Perianik 

 of one piece, with a limb of four oblong pale pinkish lobes, with 

 minutely fringed margins. Stamens four, on longish filaments, bear- 

 ing dark purplish ovate two celled anthers. Stigmas a downy line on 

 the upper margin of the pointed curved short styles, which at length 

 become much dilated into a thin palish green membrane, of an oblong 

 wedge-shaped form, forming a winged border to the small oblong pale 

 brown shining single seeded capsule, the point with a deep dilated 

 sinus at the apex. 



Habitat. — Woods and hedges ; most frequent in the South of 

 England, especially in Norfolk and Sussex. 



Tree ; flowering in March and April. 



This is considered the most valuable of our Elms for the durability 

 of its wood, being harder, tougher, and less liable to decay when ex- 

 posed in damp situations, qualities rendering it more suitable for 

 various purposes, especially the nave of wheels and instruments of 

 husbandry. It is a large tree, with crooked trunk and branches, not 

 producing flowers until it has attained its almost full size. 



2. M, sub'erosa, .Ehrh. (Fig. 496.) Common Cork-barked Elm, 

 Leaves nearly orbicular, acute, obliquely cordate at the base, sharply, 

 regularly, and doubly serrated, always scabrous above, downy beneath, 

 especially in the axilla ; branches spreading, bright brown, winged, 

 with corky excrescences, when young very hairy ; fruit nearly round, 

 deeply cloven. 



English Botany, t. 2161. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 21 — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 144. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 226. 



Trunk mostly straight, with rigid spreading branches, mostly much 

 clothed with thick corky excrescences, split into deep fissures, of a 

 palish brown colour, the young shoots covered with a soft downiness. 

 Leaves much larger than the last species, roundish, oblong, with an 

 acute point, and oblique unequal somewhat heart-shaped base, the 

 margins sharply, mostly regularly and doubly serrated, always rough 

 above, with short rigid points, paler beneath, and hairy, with a strong 

 mid-rib and straight lateral veins, the axis with dense tufts of pale 

 hairs. Flowers much earlier than the leaves, in dense tults, bursting 

 through the brown scaly buds, each flower elevated on a short stalk, 



