Ulmus szechuanica

Ulmus szechuanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Ulmaceae
Genus:	Ulmus
Species:	U. szechuanica
Binomial name
Ulmus szechuanica Fang

Ulmus szechuanica is a small to medium deciduous Chinese tree found along the Yangtze river through the provinces of Sichuan, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu. It can reach a height of 18 m, but is usually less than 10 m, with a spreading umbrella-like crown. The leaves, distinguished by their emergent red colour, are generally obovate < 9 cm long by 5 cm broad, borne on branchlets with an irregular corky layer. The wind-pollinated petal-less flowers are produced on second-year shoots in February, followed by suborbicular samaras < 16 mm by 13mm in March.

The tree was evaluated with other Chinese elms at the Morton Arboretum, Illinois, where it was found to grow best on well-drained soils, and exhibited a resistance to Dutch elm disease. However, it was also found to be comparatively weak-wooded, making it susceptible to storm damage in winter. In trials in Oklahoma, it was completely unaffected by elm leaf beetles [1].

References

• Fu, L., Xin, Y. & Whittemore, A. (2002). Ulmaceae, in Wu, Z. & Raven, P. (eds) Flora of China, Vol. 5 (Ulmaceae through Basellaceae). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, USA. [2]

• Ware, G. (1995). Little-known elms from China: landscape tree possibilities. Journal of Arboriculture, (Nov. 1995). International Society of Arboriculture, Champaign, Illinois, USA. [2].