Ulmaceae

Ulmaceae [əl′mās·ē‚ē]

(botany)

A family of dicotyledonous trees in the order Urticales distinguished by alternate stipulate leaves, two styles, a pendulous ovule, and lack of a latex system.

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Ulmaceae 

a family of dicotyledonous plants. They are deciduous or evergreen trees; the leaves are simple, alternate, serrate or smooth, and for the most part asymmetric, with early falling stipules. The flowers are small, plain, and anemophilous; they are gathered either into bundles or into capitate or racemose inflorescences; sometimes there are one to three blossoms in the axils of the leaves. The perianth is simple and laciniate, and there are four to 12 stamens. The upper ovary is composed of two carpels and is unilocular and monospermous. The fruits are achenes (samaras), nuts, or stone fruits, often with excrescences in the shape of wings, rods, or combs.

There are 15 genera, comprising more than 150 species (including the Celtidaceae), found in temperate and tropical zones. There are three genera in the USSR: Ulmus (ten species), Celtis (two species), and Zelkova (one species). In the southern treeless regions of the northern hemisphere, the Ulmaceae are often a basic variety planted for foliage. The wood of many species is used in construction, machine building, and the furniture industry..Ulmaceae is an old relic family.

REFERENCE

Takhtadzhian, A. L. Sistema i filogeniia tsvetkovykh rastenii. Moscow-Leningrad, 1966.

I. A. GRUDZINSKAIA