Ulmus chumlia

Ulmus chumlia is a small deciduous tree endemic to the Himalaya from the Kashmir to central Nepal, and the provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan and Xizang (Tibet) in China. It is found in broadleaf forest on mountain slopes at elevations of 1000–3000 m. Richens noted that the species appeared to be the same as that named by Grudzinskaya as Ulmus androssowii var. virgata, which she considered an intermediate between U. minor and U. pumila.[1]

Ulmus chumlia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Ulmaceae
Genus: Ulmus
Species:
U. chumlia
Binomial name
Ulmus chumlia
Synonyms
  • Ulmus androssowii var. subhirsuta C. K. Schneid.
  • Ulmus androssowii var. virgata (Planch.) Grudz.
  • Ulmus brandisiana A. Henry
  • Ulmus pumila var. pilosa Rehder
  • Ulmus virgata Wallich ex Planch.
  • Ulmus wilsoniana var. subhirsuta C. K. Schneid.

Description

Very occasionally growing to 25 m high, it has a spreading crown of sinuous branches. The blackish-grey bark of the trunk is irregularly reticulate, and exfoliate. The wing-less branchlets bear narrow obovate-acuminate to elliptic-acuminate leaves < 10 cm long x 4 cm broad. The wind-pollinated apetalous flowers appear in spring, followed by orbicular samarae 10–12 mm in diameter.[2]

Pests and diseases

No information available.

Uses

Like most elms, the tree is valued as fodder. The bark fibres are used for rope making and are also included with wool to make extra warm clothing.[3]

Cultivation

The tree is not known to be in cultivation beyond Asia. Specimens introduced to the Netherlands by Heybroek in the 1960s did not prove hardy.

Hybrids and cultivars

References
  1. Richens, R. H. (1977). Variation, cytogenics, and breeding of the European field elms. Annales Forestales Analiza Sumartsvo (Zagreb). 7, 107–141.
  2. 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. ISBN 1-930723-40-7
  3. Melville, R. & Heybroek, H. M. (1971). The Elms of the Himalaya. Kew Bulletin Vol. 26 (1). Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, London.
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