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 | Elm Other Names: Broad-leaved Elm
Botanical Name: Ulmus campestris
Family: N.O. Urticaceae |
Description: |
The Elms belong to the natural order Ulmaceae and to the genus Ulmus, which contains sixteen species, widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone, extending southwards as far as Mexico in the New World and the Sikkim Himalayas in the Old World.
The Common Elm (U. campestris, Linn.) is a doubtful native of England, found throughout the greater part of Europe, in North Africa, Asia Minor and eastwards to Japan.
It grows in woods and hedgerows, especially in the southern part of Britain and on almost all soils, thriving even in the smoky atmosphere of a city, but on a rich loam, in open, low-lying situations, attaining a height of 60 to 100 feet, even rising to 130 and 150 feet. In the first ten years of its growth the tree grows to 25 or 30 feet.
The branches are numerous and spreading, the bark rugged, the leaves alternate, ovate rough, doubly toothed and unequal at the base. The flowers are small and numerous appearing in March and April before the leaves, in purplish-brown tufts. If one of these tufts be examined, it will be found to be a short axis with a number of leaves, beginning two-ranked at the base, and going over to five-ranked above. There are no flowers in the axils of the lowest ten or twelve, in the axils of the upper leaves are flowers arranged in small cymes (in some species), but in U. campestris reduced to the one central flower. Each flower has a four-toothed, bell-shaped calyx surrounding four stamens and a onecelled ovary bearing two spreading hairy styles.
The seed-vessels are green, membraneous, one-seeded and deeply cleft, but the tree seldom perfects its seed in England, being propagated by root-suckers from old trees, or by layers from stools.
In age and size, the Elm closely approaches the Oak, but is more varied, a large number of named varieties being grown. |
Habitat: |
| Britain (not indigenous), Europe, Asia, North Africa. |
Constituents: |
Analyses of Elm wood show 47.8 per cent of lime, 21.9 of potash and 13.7 of soda.
A peculiar vegetable principle, called Ulmin or Ulmic Acid, was first discovered in the gummy substance which spontaneously exudes in summer from the bark of the Common Elm, becoming by the action of the air a dark-brown, almost black substance, without smell or taste, insoluble in cold sparingly soluble in boiling water, which it colours yellowish-brown, soluble in alcohol and readily dissolved by alkaline solutions.
The inner bark is very mucilaginous, and contains a little tannic acid which gives it a somewhat bitter and slightly astringent taste, it also contains a great deal of starch. |
Medicinal Usage: |
All parts of the tree, including sapwood, are used in carpentry. The wood is close-grained, free from knots, hard and tough, and not subject to splitting, but it does not take a high polish. It does not crack when once seasoned and is remarkably durable under water, being specially adapted for any purpose which requires exposure to wet. To prevent shrinking and warping in drying, it may be preserved in water or mud, but is best worked up soon after felling. In drying, the wood loses over 60 per cent of its weight.
Elm wood is used for keels and bilge planks, the blocks and dead eyes of rigging and ship's pumps, for coffins, wheels, furniture, turned articles and general carpenter's work. Elm boards are largely used for lining the interior of carts, wagons and wheelbarrows on account of the extreme toughness of the wood, and it has been much employed in the past for making sheds, most of the existing farm buildings being covered with elm. Previous to the common employment of cast-iron, Elm was very much in use for waterpipes.
The inner bark is very tough and is made into mats and ropes. The leaves and young shoots have been found a suitable food for live stock.
Tonic, demulcent, astringent and diuretic. Wasformerly employed for the preparation of an antiscorbutic decoction recommended in cutaneous diseases of a leprous character, such as ringworm. It was applied both externally and internally. Under the title of Ulmus the dried inner bark was official in the British Pharmacopoeia of 1864 and 1867 directions for the preparation of Decoc. Ulmi being as follows: Elm Bark 1 part, water 8 parts; boil for 10 minutes, strain, make up to 8 parts.
A homoeopathic tincture is made of the inner bark, and used as an astringent.
Fluid extract, dose 2 to 4 oz. three or four times daily.
A medicinal tea was also formerly made from the flowers.
In Persia, Italy and the south of France, galls, sometimes the size of a fist, are frequently produced on the leaves. They contain a clear water called eau d'orme, which is sweet and viscid, and has been recommended to wash wounds, contusions and sore eyes. Culpepper tells us:
'the water that is found in the bladders on the leaves of the elm-tree is very effectual to cleanse the skin and make it fair.'
Towards autumn, these galls dry, the insects in them die and there is found a residue in the form of a yellow or blackish balsam, called beaume d'ormeau, which has been recommended for diseases of the chest. |
Ancient Lore: |
ELM TREE ULMUS MINOR
The leaves thereof be raised and applied heal wounds.
This Elm has a rough thick bark and the branches are clothed with rough, crenated green leaves.
Where to find it: Woods and hedgerows. Dutch Elm disease has depleted the numbers of this tree in recent years.
Flowering time. The small flowers appear in early spring before the leaves. Astrology: A cold and saturnine plant.
Medicinal virtues: The leaves or the bark used with vinegar cure scurf and leprosy very effectually. Bathing with a decoction of the leaves, bark or root, heals broken bones. The decoction of the bark of the root mollifies hard tumours and the shrinking of the sinews.
Modern uses: The bark is soothing and diuretic and is mainly used to treat dropsy. A decoction is made by using 1 oz (28 g) of bark to 3 fl oz (230 ml) Of water and boiling for 10 minutes. Add water to make up to the original 8 fl oz (230 ml). The dose is 1 fl OZ (30 ml). The decoction is slightly astringent and can be used as a lotion for skin diseases, such as ringworm. Homoeopaths make a tincture from the bark which they use for skin eruptions and ulcerated conditions.
One of the most important remedies in herbal medicine is the Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva), an American tree. The bark has similar properties to the Common Elm, but is superior. The powdered bark is used as a nutritious drink for those with inflammatory bowel disease, or for bronchitis. It is healing and soothing to mucous membranes. A teaspoonful of the powder is added to 1 Pt (568 ml) of boiling water, infused for a few minutes and strained. It can be taken freely. Slippery Elm tablets and commercial versions of the gruel are generally available from health stores.
Because it is nutritious, Slippery Elm infusion - 1 oz (30 g) of powdered bark to 1 pt (570 ml) of water - has been injected into the bowel in serious cases of diarrhoea and dysentery where other treatments have failed. |
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