CORK ELM. ROCK ELM 



/ 'I miis /•(/(•( mosn | is 



The I'lni Fa mi I \ 

 i LMACE u. 



Habit ami Habitat: A large tree, often reaching a height of 100 

 i in the east but usually not exceeding 50-60 feet in this - with a 



trunk diameter of 18-30 incl The lateral and lower brand 



hibit a peculiar drooping habit bo that a narrow oblong crown ted. 



nmonly on dry. rocky or grvelly uplands and sterile, (day rid: 

 also in moister, richer soils along with the other eli 



Leaves and Buds: Loaves alternate, simple. 2-5 inches long, oblong 

 or oval, coarsely and doubly serrate, thick and firm, dark green and 

 shining above, paler and more or less hairy beneath, base commonly 



oblique or unsymmetrieal : petioles hairy, about % inch lorn rminal 



hud absent; lateral buds ovoid, acute, chestnut-brown, hairy with long 

 ft hair 



Flowers and Fruits: Flowers produced in March or April, before 

 the leaves, perfect, greenish, borne upon slender pedicels in slender, 

 loose, drooping clusters; calyx bell-shaped, 7-S-lobed; corolla 



. purplish; ovary squatty, hairy, with - style branches. Fruit a single 

 seed with a hairy, flattish wing entirely surrounding it, *•_> inch long, 

 borne in loose, drooping clusters on long. Blender pedicels, ripe in May 

 before the leaves are mature, wing of fruit narrow in proportion to the 

 seed especially as compared with the red and white elms. 



Bark, Twigs and Wood: The twigs are at first light brown and 

 hairy, but soon become reddish-brown and shiny, finally dark brown 

 or ashy gray, with corky, irregular ridges or wing-like flanges when 

 about 2 years old; bark on old branches and main trunk gray, tinged with 

 red, and divided by wide fissures into broad ridges which break up 

 into broad flat scales on the surface. Wood heavy, very strong and 

 tough, easy to work, takes a fine polish, light reddish-brown, with thick, 

 lighter colored sapwood; used for agricultural implements, cabinet 

 work, railway ties, bridge timbers, and sills. 



Distribution in the State: The cork elm does not have as wide a 

 range as the red and white elms, being found naturally from New 

 York westward through southern Michigan to Illinois, Missouri and 



l >raska. In this state the species has been reported only from two 

 widely separated localities namely. Cass and Keya Paha counties, but 

 it is highly probable that it occurs somewhat sparingly and perhaps in- 

 termittently along the eastern border-of the state and for some distance 



stward from the mouth of the Niobrara river. Map 32. 



Remarks:* The cork elm is a very valuable tree because of the 

 quality of its wood. It is sometimes called the hickory elm and often the 

 cliff elm. The tree may be distinguished in the sprinir and early sum- 

 mer from our other two native elms by the loose, drooping ell of 

 flowers or winged fruits, but at any time of the year by means of the 

 irregular, corky ridges or wings which grow from every side of the 

 branc' d twigs and which u r ive the tie,- a peculiarly strai 

 sha ippeara tnd mark it as distinct from all our I native 



tree<. Because of this latter characteristic the is not 



an ornamental as the white elm or even the red elm. 



— 101 



