Ulmus bergmannianaC.K.Schneid.,[1] commonly known as Bergmann's elm, is a deciduous tree found across much of China in forests at elevations of 1500–3000 m.[2]
Description
The tree is very closely related to the wych elmUlmus glabra;[3] it can reach a height of 26 metres (85 ft) with a wide-spreading crown, and a trunk of about 0.9 m d.b.h.[4] The bark is longitudinally fissured, and varies in colour from greyish-white to dark grey.[5] The pubescent leaves range from obovate to elliptic, less than 16 cm (6.3 in) long, and bluish-green when mature.[6][7][8] Schneider's leaf-drawing (1907) shows a short wych-like petiole.[9] The perfect, wind-pollinated apetalous flowers are produced on second-year shoots in February,[10] followed by generally obovatesamarae <30 mm long by 14 mm width, the centre of the seed about 7 mm from the slightly notched apex.[11] Branchlets do not possess the corky wings characteristic of many other elm species.
The tree was introduced to the West in 1900. In trials in the USA it was found to propagate well, and also proved to be very winter hardy. The tree was one of 12 Chinese species under evaluation at the Morton Arboretum, Illinois, in 2009 by the late Dr George Ware.[14][15] There are no known cultivars of this taxon.
^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. ISBN1930723407[1]
^White, J. & More, D. (2003). Trees of Britain & Northern Europe. Cassell's, London. ISBN0304361925
^"Ulmus bergmanniana - 1". Herbarium catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 October 2016.; "Ulmus bergmanniana - 2". Herbarium catalogue. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 17 October 2016.