Ulmaceae

The Ulmaceae (Template:IPAc-en) are a family of flowering plants that includes the elms (genus Ulmus), and the zelkovas (genus Zelkova).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Members of the family are widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone, and have a scattered distribution elsewhere except for Australasia.<ref name="Watson">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="stevens">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The family was formerly sometimes treated to include the hackberries, (Celtis and allies), but an analysis by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group suggests that these genera are better placed in the related family Cannabaceae.<ref name="stevens"/> It generally is considered to include ca 7 genera and about 45 species.<ref name="Christenhusz-Byng2016">Template:Cite journal</ref> Some classifications also include the genus Ampelocera.<ref name="Ueda">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Description

The family is a group of evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs with mucilaginous substances in leaf and bark tissue. Leaves are usually alternate on the stems. The leaf blades are simple (not compound), with entire (smooth) or variously toothed margins, and often have an asymmetrical base. The flowers are small and either bisexual or unisexual.<ref name="Sytsma">Template:Citation</ref> The fruit is an indehiscent samara, nut, or drupe.

Uses

Ulmus provides important timber trees mostly for furniture.

Phylogeny

Modern molecular phylogenetics suggest the following relationships:<ref name="Ueda"/><ref name="Sytsma"/><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite conference</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>