WINGED ELMBen Ferguson

WINGED ELM

Winged Elm, Ulmus alata Michx., has also been called Wahoo Elm.

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom – Plantae (Plants)Subkingdom – Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)Superdivision – Spermatophyta (Seed plants)Division – Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)Class – Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)Subclass – HamamelididaeOrder – UrticalesFamily – Ulmaceae (Elm family)Genus – Ulmus L. (Elm)Species – Ulmus alata Michx. (Winged elm)

SHAPE, FORM, TYPE

The Winged elm is a small to medium tree that can grow to 60 feet in height. They have smaller crowns that are oblong and fairly narrow.Figure 1

BARK

The bark is dark gray in color. There are shallow furrows in the bark.

Figure 2

TWIG

The twigs are slender and gray or brown in color. They can be either smooth or slightly hairy and are up to ¼ inch thick.

Figure 3

LEAF

The leaves are simple and they alternate. The blades are pointed at the tip, elliptic to oblong-lanceolate and they are asymmetrical at the base. They grow up to three inches in length, and are doubly toothed. They are green and smooth/slightly rough on the surface and paler and hairy on the bottom. The leafstalks are short, stout, and hairy.

Figure 4

BUD

The buds are narrow and pointed. They are brown in color and are smooth/slightly hairy and are ¼ in long. Figure 5

FLOWER

The flowers grow in drooping clusters of 2 to 7. They appear before the leaves unfold and they are greenish, small, and hairy. Figure 6

FRUIT

The fruit of the Winged elm are oblong and winged. They are up to 1/3 inched long and hairy along the edge of the fruit. The wings are notched at the top of the fruit and each one surrounds a central seed.

Figure 7

HABITAT AND RANGE

Winged elms can be found along dry cliffs, wooded slopes, and sometimes in low woods. They reach from Virginia to Missouri, south to Texas and east to Florida.

Figure 8

USES

They can be used as firewood, tool handles and can be made into small wooden articles.

REFERENCES IMAGES

http://web.fccj.org/~dbyres/welm/elm2.jpg Figure 1 Retrieved 6/24/10 http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook/trees/ulal2723.jpg Figure 2 Retrieved

6/24/10 http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/u/wulal--tw11162.jpg Figure

3 Retrieved 6/24/10 http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulal--lf29781.htm

Figure 4 Retrieved 6/24/10 https://fp.auburn.edu/sfws/samuelson/dendrology/images/ulmaceae/w

ng_elm_bud5.jpg Figure 5 Retrieved 6/24/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulal--fl31156.htm Figure 6 Retrieved 6/24/10

http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/image/u/ulal--fr20088.htm Figure 7 Retrieved 6/24/10

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ULAL Figure 8 Retrieved 6/24/10

REFERENCES INFORMATION

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ULAL Retrieved 6/24/10

Mohlenbrock, R. H. Forest trees of illinois. Retrieved 6/24/10