166 



ULMACEiE. 



Ulmus. 



2. Ulmus fulva, Michx. Slippery Elm. Red Elm. 



Leaves very rough above and somewhat roughly pubescent underneath, unequal and a little 

 cordate at the base ; buds clothed with a brownish wool ; flowers nearly sessile, in dense 

 fascicles ; samara nearly orbicular, pubescent, but scarcely fringed on the margin. — Michx. 

 fl. I. p. 172 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 200 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 333 ; Bigel. fl. Bost.p. 108 ; Torr. ft. 1. 

 p. 299 ; Beck, bot. p. 333 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 179 ; Loud. enc. trees <§• shrubs, p. 724. 

 U. rubra, Michx. f. 2. t. 128. 



A tree, in favorable situations attaining the height of 50 or 60 feet, with a trunk 18 inches 

 or more in diameter, but in our State seldom more than 30 or 40 high ; the buds, before 

 expanding, covered with russet wool. Branchlets pubescent. Leaves 4-6 inches long, 

 ovate-oblong, acuminate, doubly serrate ; the upper surface covered with very short rigid 

 hairs which are swollen at the base : petioles one-third of an inch long. Fascicles of flowers 

 proceeding from numerous lateral buds on the branches of the preceding year. Calyx 7-8- 

 cleft, clothed with brown wool. Stamens 7 - 9 : anthers dark purple. Samara about three- 

 fourths of an inch long, with radiate and reticulate veins, notched at the extremity, with the 

 small lobes mostly overlapping each other. 



Rocky woods and banks of rivers, usually in dry soils ; common. Fl. April. Fr. End 

 of May. The inner bark of this tree abounds in a mild mucilage, which is extensively used 

 as a remedy for dysentery, and for other diseases where a demulcent is required. It is also 

 employed externally as a poultice. The article is kept in the apothecaries' shops in the rough 

 state, and in the form of powder. The dried leaves have somewhat the odor of Melilotus 

 cozrulea. The wood is of a dull reddish color and coarse-grained, but tough and durable. 



3. Ulmus racemosa, Thomas. (Plate XCVI.) Thomas's Elm. White Elm. 



Young branchlets pubescent ; leaves smooth above, slightly and softly pubescent underneath, 

 acuminate, doubly and uncinately serrate ; flowers in compound racemes, conspicuously 

 pedicellate , samara elliptical-oval, villose-ciliate on the margin — Thomas in Sill. jour. . . ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 334 ; Nutt. sylv. 1. p. 37. t. 12. 



A large tree ; the branches furnished with numerous irregular corky and almost winged 

 ridges, as in U. suberosa. Leaves obovate-oblong, 3-5 inches long and 2 - 2i inches wide, 

 unequal and somewhat cordate at the base. Scales of the buds more or less pubescent ; their 

 margins fringed with reddish hairs. Flowers in racemes, which are finally 1-2 inches long : 

 pedicels solitary or 2 — 4 together, slender, with cuneate bearded bracts at the base. Calyx 

 7 - 8-cleft. Stamens 7-8. Samara three-fourths of an inch long, notched at the extremity, 

 with the lobes incurved. 



Banks of rivers in the western part of the State ; rather frequent. Fl. April. Fr. June. 

 This species is ofien confounded with the White Elm ( U. Americana), which it much re- 

 sembles in the foliage. It seems to be widely diffused, and yet was overlooked until it was 



