A slow growing tree rarely exceeding 10 m in height, U. lamellosa is often multi-stemmed, its upright branches forming a rounded crown, but occasionally forms a single, slender trunk < 20 cm d.b.h. Considered closely related to the Large-fruited ElmU. macrocarpa, it is distinguishable from that species by its mottled, flaking bark and smaller leaves. The leaves, on 3–8 mm petioles, are obovate, < 10 cm long by 5.5 cm wide, caudate at the apex, with simply to doubly serrate margins, and densely pubescent when young; the leaves turn a rich gold in autumn.[3] The perfect wind-pollinated apetalous flowers are produced on second-year shoots in March–April; the large < 35 mm diameter samarae appear from April to May.[1]
U. lamellosa, Kerkrade Botanical Garden (2017)
U. lamellosa leaf
U. lamellosa bark
U. lamellosa bole
U. lamellosa branching
U. lamellosa bark detail
Pests and diseases
In the trials at the Morton Arboretum, Illinois, U. lamellosa was found to have a good resistance to Dutch elm disease.[4]
The species was also found to be among the least suitable elms for feeding and reproduction by the Japanese Beetle Popillia japonica[5] in the United States.
Cultivation
Rare in cultivation beyond China, it is one of a number of Chinese species which were assessed for their horticultural merit at the Morton Arboretum, where it was adjudged suitable for planting in parks and gardens, but found to be typically intolerant of wet soils.[4]
Although known to propagate satisfactorily, U. lamellosa is only very rarely found in commerce in Europe and the United States; there are no known cultivars.
Botanical Garden Kerkrade[4], Kerkrade, Netherlands. One large tree; accession 1983BG03409 height 9,40 m, planted 1985, seed from hortus botanicus Pekinensis.
RBG Edinburgh, Benmore, UK. Acc. no. 19951216. Wild collected in Yunnan province, China by Sino-Scottish Expedition.[8]
Royal Horticultural Society gardens, Wisley, UK. Bed WA 0201; (planted 1998, the tree appeared to have succumbed to the drought of summer 2006, and all top growth had died save a few suckers at the base).
Strona Arboretum, University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
^ abFu, 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. [1]
^R-c, Bi; W-b, Yin; Y-n, Wang (2003). "Study on a niche of population of Ulmus lamellosa in the south area of Shanxi province". Xibei Zhiwu Xuebao. 23: 1266–1271.
^ abWare, G. (1995). Little-known elms from China: landscape tree possibilities. Journal of Arboriculture, (Nov. 1995). International Society of Arboriculture, Champaign, Illinois, US.
[2]Archived 2007-11-30 at the Wayback Machine
^"The Tree Register of the British Isles". Newsletter. Autumn 2015.
^Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. (2017). List of Living Accessions: Ulmus[3]
Further reading
Ru, W.; Bi, R.; Zhang, F.; Zhang, J. (2007). "Population Structure and Pattern of Endangered Ulmus lamellosa in Shanxi". Chinese Journal of Applied & Environmental Biology. 1: 2007.