| Ulmus canescens | |
|---|---|
| Bark and young leaves, Antal Ben Shaddad, Jerusalem | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta |
| Class: | Magnoliopsida |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Ulmaceae |
| Genus: | Ulmus |
| Species: | U. canescens |
| Binomial name | |
| Ulmus canescens Melville |
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| Synonyms | |
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Ulmus minor Mill. subsp. canescens (Melville) Browicz & Ziel. |
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Ulmus canescens Melville is a small deciduous tree occasionally known by the common names Grey Elm, Grey-leafed Elm, and Hoary Elm. Its natural range extends through the lands of the central and eastern Mediterranean, including the islands of Sicily, Malta, Crete and Cyprus, as far south as Israel, where it is now considered rare and endangered [1]. The tree is typically found amidst the comparatively humid coastal woodlands and scrublands.
The taxonomy of the tree remains a matter of contention, some authorities treating it as a subspecies of Ulmus minor. [1] [2]
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The tree is comparatively small, < 20 m high; the slender trunk, its bark coarsely fissured, supporting a rounded crown. The leaves are elliptic to ovate, bluntly toothed, and densely downy when mature, imbuing them with a distinctive greyish hue. The tree flowers in February and March, the round samarae, < 15 mm diameter, deeply notched at the outer end, ripen in April [3] [4].
U. canescens is highly susceptible to Dutch elm disease.
U. canescens is occasionally planted as a street tree in Israel. There are no known cultivars of this taxon, nor is it known to be in commerce.
Mature trees occur in Jerusalem near the Damascus Gate along the Prophets Road and Antal Ben Shaddad street. In Nazareth, a line of mature trees is found along the road leading to the Basilica.