European White Elm, Olmo blanco

Description:

This tree is widely distributed across Europe, from France to southern Finland, east as far as the Urals, and southeast to Bulgaria and the Crimea. A small number of trees are found in Spain but genetic studies have shown that they present wider genetic variability than the rest of the European population, so it seems that the Spanish specimens are possibly the origin of the European population. It typically reaches a height and breadth of > 30 m, with a trunk < 2 m in diameter. The leaves are deciduous, alternate, simple ovate with a markedly lop-sided base, < 10 cm long and < 7 cm broad, comparatively thin, often almost papery in texture and very translucent, smooth above with a downy underside. The best way to differentiate it from Wych elm (Ulmus glabra) is by their winged samara, that have a ciliate margin, see the first picture, while the Wych elm has glabrous samara.

Habitat:

Little brook in a pine-tree and Holm oak forest.