Ulmus minor aka Common Elm

Ulmus minor Mill., commonly known as the field elm, is highly diverse European species with a disputed. It is primarily found in southern Europe, extending to Asia Minor and Iran, with its northernmost outposts being the Baltic islands of Öland and Gotland, possibly due to human introduction. This elm thrives in low-lying forest areas along major rivers, often growing alongside oak and ash trees. It is a resilient species, able to withstand both summer floods and droughts. The classification of Ulmus minor owes much to Richens, who identified several distinct varieties on the European mainland. These include the small-leaved variety in France and Spain, the narrow-leaved variety in northern and central Italy, the densely hairy leaved variety in southern Italy and Greece, the small-toothed variety in the Balkans, the large-toothed variety in the Danube region, and the small-leaved variety in southern Russia and Ukraine. In Britain, the closest relatives to the eastern English Field Elm are found in central Europe, while southwestern forms were introduced from France. However, due to limited field research at the time, a comprehensive breakdown of regional varieties was not possible. The term "red" elm was commonly used by British foresters to refer to the field elm, alluding to the color of its timber. Richens classified several British elms, including the English elm, as subspecies or varieties of Ulmus minor in 1968. However, later studies by Melville and Armstrong identified multiple distinct species, varieties, and hybrids, with Armstrong identifying forty British species and microspecies. Clive Stace noted that Richens' two-species concept was not sufficiently discriminating for taxonomic value. Nonetheless, Richens' classification has been widely adopted in recent years, although it is not used in Flora Europaea. In 2009, Dr. Max Coleman conducted DNA fingerprinting studies that shed light on the field elm's taxonomy. These studies revealed that the distinct forms previously elevated to species or lumped together by Melville and Richens are actually single clones of the field elm. These clones are genetically identical and have been propagated through vegetative means like cuttings or root suckers. This means that enigmatic British elms, such as Plot elm and English elm, are actually single clones of the field elm. While Richens lacked the evidence to prove this, he was correct in recognizing a series of clones and grouping them together as a variable species. Molecular marker analysis is expected to further clarify the taxonomic confusion surrounding Ulmus minor. The field elm is a large and graceful deciduous tree, reaching heights of about 30m. It has slender, arching branches and glossy, narrowly oval, mid to dark green leaves that can grow up to 10cm long. In autumn, the leaves turn yellow. The tree produces very small red flowers in mid to late spring, followed by green winged fruits that are approximately 1cm across. Typically, the field elm has a rounded crown and rough bark with a block pattern in older trees. Young branchlets may have corky wings. The shoots are slender compared to the wych elm. The size of the leaves varies greatly depending on the maturity of the tree. Leaves on juvenile growth are coarse and pubescent, while those on mature growth are generally smooth but still highly variable in form. A notable characteristic of the leaves is the presence of tiny black glands along the veins, which can be seen with a magnifying glass. The tree starts to flower and fruit at around 10 years of age in France. Overall, the field elm, Ulmus minor, is a versatile and diverse European species with a complex taxonomy that is gradually being unraveled through DNA analysis.