Ulmus 'Tiliaefolia'

The Elm cultivar Ulmus 'Tiliaefolia' was first mentioned by Host in Flora Austriaca (1827),^[1] as Ulmus tiliaefolia [:linden-leaved]. The Späth nursery of Berlin distributed a 'Tiliaefolia' from the late 19th century to the 1930s as neither an U. montana hybrid nor a field elm (U. campestris) cultivar, but simply as Ulmus tiliaefolia, suggesting uncertainty about its status.^[2][3] Herbarium specimens appear to show two clones, one smaller-leaved and classified as a field elm cultivar,^[4] the other larger-leaved.^[5]

Description[edit]

The tree was said to have ovate leaves, rounded or subcordate and not usually strongly oblique at the base.^[6] Host said the leaf was biserrate. The catalogue of the Späth nursery, Berlin, describes 'Tiliifolia' [:'Tiliaefolia'] as having smooth shiny dark green leaves.^[2][3]

Pests and diseases[edit]

'Tiliaefolia' is not known to have any resistance to Dutch elm disease.

Cultivation[edit]

No examples of 'Tiliaefolia' are known to survive. Reichenbach noted briefly that the tree was once grown in Bohemia and Austria.^[7] One tree was planted in 1898, as U. tiliifolia, at the Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, Canada.^[8] Three specimens were supplied by the Späth nursery to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1902^[9] as U. tiliaefolia, and may still exist in Edinburgh as it was the practice of the Garden to distribute trees about the city (viz. the Wentworth Elm);^[10] the current list of Living Accessions held in the Garden per se does not list the plant.^[11] A specimen obtained from Späth before 1914, and planted in 1916, stood in the Ryston Hall arboretum, Norfolk,^[12] in the early 20th century.^[13]

Putative specimens[edit]

A tree with leaves matching herbarium specimens of 'Tiliaefolia'^[14][15] stood in Dyke Road, Brighton, till 2012.

• 
  Dyke Road elm, Brighton (before 2012)
• 
  Leaves from Dyke Road, Brighton (2009)

An old elm with leaves close to herbarium specimens of Späth's 'Tiliaefolia', stands (2016) in Belgrave Cescent Gardens, Edinburgh.

• 
  Belgrave Crescent Gardens elm
• 
  Branching
• 
  Leaves of same
• 
• 
  Short-shoot leaves
• 
  Bole
• 
  Samarae

References[edit]