292 



WEEDS A2sD USEFUL PLANIS. 



1. UL'MUS, L. Elm. 



[An ancient Latin name ; of obscure etymology.] 



Calyx memlDrauaceous, turbinate-campanulate, 4-9-cleft. Stamens as 

 many as the lobes of the calyx. Ovary compressed, ovate, 2- celled, witli 

 a single ovule suspended from the summit of each cell ; styles 2, diverg- 

 ing, stigmatose on the inner side. Samara membranaceous, compressed, 

 winged all round, by abortion 1-celled and 1-seeded. Alhumen none ; 

 embryo straight; the cotyledons large, jp/czt'crs purplish-brown in lat- 

 eral clusters preceding the leaves. 



1. U. America'na, L. Leaves ovate, oblong, smooth above, very un- 

 equal at base, rather simply serrate, — the serratures uncinately acumi- 

 nate ; flowers conspicuously pedicellate, in loose fascicles ; samara oval, 

 densely villous-ciliate on the margin. 



American Ulmus. White Elm. Weeping Elm. 



stem 60-80 feet or more in height, and 2-3 or 4 feet in diameter ; branches long and 

 spreading, or often rather drooping. Leaves 3-5 inches in length, acuminate ; petioles one 

 fourth to half an inch long, smoothish. Stipules smooth. Styles pubescent, nearly white. 

 Samara emarginate or bifid at apex between the 2 styles — the segments incurved so as 

 to leave an apparent foramen through the wing ; margin densely fringed with soft white 

 hairs. 



Banks of streams, borders of swamps, &c.: throughout the United States. Fl. April. 

 Fr. June. 



Obs. This fine large tree is the species so much cultivated as a shade 

 tree in New England. The noble avenues of Elms at New Haven, 

 Conn., are the admiration of all visitors ; and nothing is required but a 

 little attention at the proper season, to have every village in the land 

 similarly adorned. Why will not the people of all our American towns 

 and villages learn to do that much for the sake of taste and their own 

 future comfort? 



2, U. ful'va, Mx. Leaves oval or obovate-oblong, conspicuously acu- 

 minate, very scabrous above, rather unequal and somewhat cordate at 

 base, doubly serrate ; buds clothed with a fulvous tomentum ; flowers 

 in dense subsessile fascicles ; samara orbicular, naked on the margin. 

 Tawny Ulmus. Slippery Elm. Red Elm. 



stem 30-50 feet high, and 12-18 inches in diameter ; branches virgate. Leaves 4-6 or 

 8 inches long — the upper surface remarkably rough, the under surface tomentose-pubes- 

 cent, especially along the midrib and nerves ; petioles about one third of an inch long, 

 pubescent. Stipules 'pilose. Caij/^; about 7-cleft ; lobes obtuse, clothed and ciliate with a 

 reddish-tawny pubescence. Stamens often 7, much exserted. ^i']/Zes glandular-pubescent, 

 purple. Samara radiately veined, on a slender pedicel the length of the calyx, cleft at 

 apex between the styles — the segments acuminate and so incurved and over-lapped as" to 

 give the margin the appearance of being entire at apex. 



Eich low grounds, fence-rows, &c.: throughout the United States. F]. April. Fr. June. 



Obs. The inner bark of this species contains a large quantity of mu- 

 cilage, — which has caused it to be added to the materia mcdica in our 

 shops. The military on the Canada frontier, during the last war, fed 

 their horses with it, when destitute of the usual forage, and found it a 



