ULMACEA—ELM FAMILY 
WHITE ELM. AMERICAN ELM. WATER ELM 
Vimus americana. 
Ulmus is the ancient name of the elm tree and was adopted by 
Linnzus as the name of the genus. 
Abundant in moist woods, throughout the entire north, especially 
in rich alluvial soil. Varies from sixty to one hundred and twenty 
feet in height, the trunk sturdy and usually dividing at one-third the 
height of the tree into two to five branches. Grows rapidly, is long 
lived. Roots fibrous and run near the surface of the ground, often 
rise above it. 
Bark,—Dark gray, rough, with longitudinal and not very closely 
adherent ridges. Branchlets light green, downy, later become red- 
dish brown, smooth and finally ashy gray. 
Wood.—Reddish brown, sapwood pale; heavy, hard, strong, 
tough, difficult to split, rather coarse-grained ; will take no polish ; 
used for hubs of wheels, saddletrees and cooperage. Sp. gr., 
0.6506 ; weight of cu. ft., 40.55 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Flower-buds larger than leaf buds, produced in 
the axils of the leaves of the previous year. Leaf-buds brown, one- 
eighth of an inch long, ovate, acute, slightly flattened; scales 
smooth. No terminal bud is formed. When spring growth begins 
the inner scales enlarge. 
Leaves.— Alternate, four to six inches long, two to three inches 
broad, obovate-oblong, or oval, unequal at base, doubly serrate, 
acuminate. Feather-veined, midvein and primary veins conspicu- 
ous. They come out of the bud conduplicate, downy, pale green ; 
when full grown are dark green, rough above, pale green and downy 
or smooth beneath. In autumn they turn brown or golden yellow. 
Petioles short ; stipules fugacious. 
Flowers.—March, April, before the leaves. Perfect, small, brown- 
ish yellow or reddish, borne in loose umbel-like clusters, on slender 
pedicels, on last year’s wood. 
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