THE ENGLISH ELM. 



521 



-vt'Ajifek 



THE FRUIT 



(WYCH ELM). 



FLOWER AND FRUIT . 



The rounded buds which contain the flowers have a brittle 

 covering of shining brown. Early in April this covering falls 

 awav, allowing the flowers to expand. They grow in clusters, 

 which are usually set at irregular intervals on the twig, a little 

 below the terminal bud or buds. The blossoms are very 

 small ; each one consists of five minute purplish-red petals, 

 five stamens of the same tint, and a seed germ made up of 

 two dark brown and inconspicuous carpels united into a single 

 pistil, which contains one seed onlv. The petals and stamens 

 gradually turn brown and wither, while the flat winged seed-vessel, 

 with its single seed, increases in size and changes in colour to 

 a bright green. 



THE LKAVES. 



The young leaves are at first folded at the central rib against the 

 new shoo) ol pale green tinged with pink, and turn downwards as 



