Ulmaceae

English: Elm family
Dutch: Iepenfamilie

The Ulmaceae is a small family of deciduous trees comprising about 6-8 genera and 35-40 species. They are distributed in temperate and tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere and include the ecologically important elms, many of which have been devastated by Dutch elm disease.

Key Identifying Features

• Leaves: Simple, alternate, often asymmetric at the base with doubly serrate margins
• Flowers: Small, inconspicuous, appearing before leaves in clusters
• Fruits: Flat, winged samaras (elm) or small drupes (hackberry)
• Bark: Deeply furrowed and ridged, often with distinctive corky ridges in some species

Parent: Plantae