Ulmus prunifolia

Taxobox
status = LC
name = "Ulmus prunifolia"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Rosales
familia = Ulmaceae
genus = "Ulmus"
species = "U. prunifolia"
binomial = "Ulmus prunifolia"
binomial_authority = W. C. Cheng & L. K. Fu

"Ulmus prunifolia" W. C. Cheng & L. K. Fu is a medium - size deciduous tree from the province of Hubei in central eastern China, where it is found at elevations of between 1000 m and 1500 m.

Description

Reaching 30 m in height, its bark is dark grey and distinctively smooth. The fairly long (< 14 cm) narrow leaves vary in shape from elliptic to lanceolate, borne on twigs devoid of corky wings or layers. The wind-pollinated petal-less flowers are produced on second-year shoots from February; the samarae are oblong - obovate < 20 mm x 13 mm, and ripen in April - May.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. [http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF05/Ulmus.pdf] ]

Pests and diseases

"U. prunifolia" is very resistant to Elm Leaf Beetle "Xanthogaleruca luteola" [http://www.sunshinenursery.com/survey.htm] .

Cultivation

The tree is no longer in cultivation beyond China. All four trees grown at the Brenton Arboretum, Dallas Center, Iowa, died for reasons unknown circa 2006.

References