Ulmus gaussenii

Species of tree

Ulmus gaussenii

Conservation status
Critically Endangered (IUCN 2.3)^[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Ulmaceae
Genus:	Ulmus
Species:	U. gaussenii
Binomial name
*Ulmus gaussenii* W. C. Cheng

Ulmus gaussenii W. C. Cheng, the Anhui, or hairy, elm, is a medium size deciduous tree whose natural range is restricted to the valleys of the Langya limestone mountains of Chu Xian^[2] in Anhui Province, eastern China.^[3] The tree was most commonly found on the flood plains, indicating a tolerance of periodic inundation. However, U. gaussenii is now possibly the rarest and most endangered elm species, with only approximately 30 trees known to survive in the wild in 2009.^[4]

The tree was introduced to the West in 1995, at the Morton Arboretum, Illinois, as part of an evaluation of Chinese elms for landscape use.^[5] However, closer examination of the leaves at the Morton suggests that their trees are in fact Ulmus castaneifolia.^[6]

Description

The tree can grow to a height of about 25 m, with a slender trunk < 0.8 m d.b.h. The bark is longitudinally fissured and almost black. The leaves are generally obovate, < 11 cm long, borne on densely pubescent reddish twigs, sometimes featuring flat corky wings. The wind-pollinated apetalous flowers appear in March, the large orbicular samarae < 28 mm in diameter ripen in April.^[7]^[8]

Pests and diseases

The tree is resistant to Dutch elm disease and the elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola.^[9]

Cultivation

The species is cultivated in Jiangsu (Nanjing),^[8] but remains very rare in cultivation in the West. In artificial freezing tests at the Morton Arboretum the LT50 (temp. at which 50% of tissues die) was found to be -30.7 °C.^[10] The Anhui elm was considered of particular interest, as its riparian habitat suggests it tolerates anoxic ground during prolonged flooding.^[11] Very few specimens are cultivated (2019) in Europe, notably in the UK and the Netherlands. There are no known cultivars of this taxon, nor is it known to be in commerce.

Etymology

The tree was named in 1939 for Marcel-Henri Gaussen (1891–1981), a French botanist who travelled widely in Asia.^[12]

Accessions

North America

Brenton Arboretum, US. No accession details available.
Chicago Botanic Garden, US. Planted in West Collections Area.
Denver Botanic Gardens, US. Neither acc. no. nor origin disclosed
Morton Arboretum, US. Acc. no. 49–95. Wild collected, Anhui Province, China.
United States National Arboretum, Washington, D.C., US. Acc. nos. 76224, 68980.

Europe

Grange Farm Arboretum, Lincolnshire, UK. Grafted tree, acc. no. 699.
Great Fontley Elm Trial Plantation, Butterfly Conservation, Funtley, Hampshire, UK.^[6] One sapling planted 2017, grafted on wych elm rootstock.
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Hampshire, UK. Rooted cutting in propagation unit (2018), acc. no. 2017.0369

References

^ World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). "Ulmus gaussenii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T32460A9708715. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T32460A9708715.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ Geographical Names: Chu Xian, Anhui, satellite photograph. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Bethesda, MD, USA [1]
^ Fu, L. and Xin, Y. 'Elms of China' in Dunn, C. P. (ed.) (2000). The Elms - Breeding, Conservation, and Disease Management., Part 1, Taxonomy, 21-44. Springer Science + Business Media, New York. ISBN 978-1-4613-7032-1
^ Grimshaw, J. & Bayton, R. (2009). New Trees - Recent Introductions to Cultivation. RBG Kew, London. ISBN 978-1-84246-173-0
^ Ware, 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
^ ^a ^b Brookes, A. H. (2022). Great Fontley Elm Trial, 2022 Report. Butterfly Conservation, Lulworth, England.
^ Fu, L. & Jin J. (eds). (1992). China Red Data Book. Rare and endangered plants. Vol. 1. Science Press, Beijing
^ ^a ^b 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. [3]
^ "Elm Leaf Beetle Survey". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
^ Shirazi, A. M. & Ware, G. H. (2004). Evaluation of New Elms from China for Cold Hardiness in Northern Latitudes. International Symposium on Asian Plant Diversity & Systematics 2004, Sakura, Japan.
^ Dirr, M. (2009). 'Future Tree Selections'. Western, Spring 2009, p.8. Western Nursery & Landscape Association, St Joseph, Missouri.[4]
^ Cheng, W. C. (1939). 'Ulmus gaussenii'. Travaux du Laboratoire Forestier de Toulouse. 3(3): 110. 1939.

External links

U. gaussenii description, Flora of China, vol.5 p.3, efloras.org
U. gaussenii fruit and leaves illustration, Flora of China, efloras.org
Photographs labelled U. gaussenii on Plant Photo Bank of China, ppbc.iplant
U. gaussenii description, and photographs labelled U. gaussenii, ulmen-handbuch.de

Elm species, varieties, hybrids, hybrid cultivars and species cultivars

Species, varieties and subspecies

U. alata (Winged elm)
U. americana (American elm)
U. americana var. floridana (Florida elm)
U. bergmanniana (Bergmann's elm)
U. bergmanniana var. bergmanniana
U. bergmanniana var. lasiophylla
U. castaneifolia (Chestnut-leafed or multinerved elm)
U. changii (Hangzhou elm)
U. changii var. changii
U. changii var. kunmingensis (Kunming elm)
U. chenmoui (Chenmou or Langya Mountain elm)
U. chumlia
U. crassifolia (Cedar or Texas cedar elm)
U. davidiana (David or Father David elm)
U. davidiana var. davidiana
U. davidiana var. japonica (Japanese elm)
U. elongata (Long raceme elm)
U. gaussenii (Anhui or hairy elm)
U. glabra (Wych or scots elm)
U. glaucescens (Gansu elm)
U. glaucescens var. glaucescens
U. glaucescens var. lasiocarpa (hairy-fruited glaucescent elm)
U. harbinensis (Harbin elm)
U. ismaelis
U. laciniata (Manchurian cut-leaf or lobed elm)
U. laciniata var. nikkoensis (Nikko elm)
U. laevis (European white elm)
U. laevis var. celtidea
U. laevis var. parvifolia
U. laevis var. simplicidens
U. lamellosa (Hebei elm)
U. lanceifolia (Vietnam elm)
U. macrocarpa (Large-fruited elm)
U. macrocarpa var. glabra
U. macrocarpa var. macrocarpa
U. mexicana (Mexican elm)
U. microcarpa (Tibetan elm)
U. minor (Field elm)
U. minor subsp. minor
U. minor var. italica
U. parvifolia (Chinese or lacebark elm)
U. parvifolia var. coreana (Korean elm)
U. prunifolia (Cherry-leafed elm)
U. pseudopropinqua (Harbin spring elm)
U. pumila (Siberian elm)
U. rubra (Slippery elm)
U. serotina (September elm)
U. szechuanica (Szechuan (Sichuan) or red-fruited elm)
U. thomasii (Rock or cork elm)
U. uyematsui (Alishan elm)
U. villosa (Cherry-bark or marn elm)
U. wallichiana (Himalayan or kashmir elm)
U. wallichiana subsp. wallichiana
U. wallichiana subsp. xanthoderma
U. wallichiana var. tomentosa

Disputed species, varieties and subspecies

U. boissieri
U. minor subsp. canescens (Grey, grey-leafed or hoary elm)
U. elliptica

Hybrids

U. davidiana var. japonica × U. minor
U. × arbuscula
U. × arkansana
U. × brandisiana
U. × diversifolia
U. × hollandica (Dutch elm)
U. × hollandica var. insularum
U. × intermedia
U. × mesocarpa

Species cultivars

American elm	American Liberty Ascendens Augustine Aurea Beaverlodge Beebe's Weeping Brandon Burgoyne JFS Prince II College Columnaris Creole Queen Deadfree Delaware Exhibition Fiorei Flick's Spreader Folia Aurea Variegata Great Plains Hines Incisa Independence Iowa State Jackson Jefferson Kimley Klehmii L'Assomption Lake City Lewis & Clark Littleford Maine Markham Miller Park Minneapolis Park Moline Morden New Harmony Nigricans Patmore Pendula Penn Treaty Princeton Pyramidata Queen City Sheyenne Skinner Upright St. Croix Star Valley Forge Variegata Vase Washington
Cedar elm	Brazos Rim
Chinese elm	A-1 A. Ross Central Park Blizzard BSNUPF Burgundy Burnley Select Catlin Chessins Churchyard Cork Bark D. B. Cole Drake Dynasty Ed Wood Elsmo Emer I Emer II Emerald Prairie Frosty Garden City Clone Geisha Glory Golden Rey Hallelujah Hokkaido Jade Empress King's Choice Littleleaf Lois Hole Matthew Milliken Nire-keyaki Ohio Orange Ribbon Pathfinder Pendens Prairie Shade Prince Richard Red Fall Sabamiki Sagei Seiju Select 380 Sempervirens Small Frye State Fair Stone's Dwarf Taiwan The Thinker Todd True Green UPMTF Ware's Yarralumla Yatsubusa Zettler Ulmus parvifolia f. lanceolata
European white elm	Aureovariegata Colorans Helena Ornata Pendula Punctata Urticifolia
Field elm	Ademuz Albo-Dentata Amplifolia Argenteo-Variegata Atinia Atinia Pyramidalis Atinia Variegata Bea Schwarz Biltii Christine Buisman Concavaefolia Coritana Cretensis Cucullata Cucullata Variegata Dehesa de Amaniel Dehesa de la Villa Dicksonii Dijkwel Erecta Folia Alba-Punctata Glandulosa Goodyeri Hoersholmiensis Holmstruph Hunnybunii Hunnybunii pseudo-Stricta Laciniata Lanuginosa Majadahonda Microphylla Pendula Microphylla Purpurea Microphylla Rubra Monumentalis Pendula Picturata Plotii Propendens Punctata Purpurascens Purpurea Retiro Reverti Rugosa Rueppellii Sarniensis Schuurhoek Silvery Gem Sowerbyi Stricta Suberosa Umbraculifera Gracilis Umbraculifera Viminalis Viminalis Aurea Viminalis Betulaefolia Viminalis Gracilis Viminalis Incisa Viminalis Marginata Viminalis Pendula Viminalis Pulverulenta Viminalis Stricta Virgata Webbiana
Japanese elm	Discovery Freedom Jacan JFS-Bieberich Mitsui Centennial Prospector Reperta Reseda Thomson Validation
Siberian elm	Ansaloni Aurea Aurescens Chinkota Dropmore Dwarf Weeper Green King Hansen Harbin Manchu Mauro Mr. Buzz Park Royal Pendula Pinnato-ramosa Poort Bulten Puszta Pyramidalis Fiorei Zhonghua Jinye
Winged elm	Lace Parasol
Wych elm	Albo-Variegata Australis Camperdownii Cebennensis Concavaefolia Cornuta Corylifolia Purpurea Corylifolia Fastigiata Macrophylla Fastigiata Stricta Fastigiata Variegata Firma Flava Gigantea Gittisham Grandidentata Holgeri Horizontalis Insularis Latifolia Latifolia Aurea Latifolia Aureo-Variegata Latifolia Nigricans Luteo Variegata Lutescens Macrophylla Maculata Minor Nana Nigra Nitida Oblongata Pendula Macrophylla Pendula Variegata Pyrenaica Spectabilis Superba Tomentosa

Hybrid cultivars

Androssowii Amsterdam Arno Cathedral Clusius Columella Den Haag Dodoens Escaillard Fiorente Frontier Fuente Umbria Homestead Karagatch Lobel Morfeo Morton Morton Glossy Morton Plainsman Morton Red Tip Morton Stalwart Nanguen New Horizon Patriot Plantyn Plinio Rebella Rebona Recerta Regal Repura Revera San Zanobi Sapporo Autumn Gold Sapporo Gold 2 Stavast Toledo Urban Wanoux Wingham
Dutch elm	Alba Angustifolia Balder Belgica Blandford Canadian Giant Cicestria Cinerea Commelin Dampieri Dauvessei Daveyi Dovaei Dumont Elegantissima Eleganto-Variegata Etrusca Fastigiata Fjerrestad Folia Rhomboidea Freja Fulva Gaujardii Groeneveld Haarlemensis Klemmer Loke Macrophylla Aurea Major Microphylla Modiolina Muscaviensis Odin Pioneer Pitteurs Serpentina Smithii Superba Tricolor Tyr Vegeta Viminalis Viscosa Wentworthii Pendula Wredei Ypreau
U. × intermedia	Coolshade Fremont Improved Coolshade Lincoln Rosehill Willis

Unconfirmed derivation cultivars

Fossil elms

U. okanaganensis

Taxon identifiers
Ulmus gaussenii	Wikidata: Q5491816 Wikispecies: Ulmus gaussenii CoL: 7DFJQ FNA: 242353355 FoC: 242353355 GBIF: 5680215 iNaturalist: 444537 IPNI: 837137-1 IUCN: 32460 NCBI: 1737301 Open Tree of Life: 6110893 Plant List: tro-50127363 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:837137-1 Tropicos: 50127363 WFO: wfo-0001244065