''Holoptelea integrifolia'', the Indian elm or jungle cork tree, is a species of tree in the family

Ulmaceae The Ulmaceae () are a family (biology), family of flowering plants that includes the elms (genus ''Ulmus''), and the zelkovas (genus ''Zelkova''). Members of the family are widely distributed throughout the Temperate, north temperate zone, and ha ...

, and a close relative to the true elms (''

Ulmus Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus ''Ulmus'' in the family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical- montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ...

''). It is native to most of

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

Indo-China Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...

and

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

. It is found mostly on plains but also in mountains on elevations up to 1100 m.

Description

The Indian elm is a large deciduous tree, about 20–25 m tall (rarely over 30 m), with a broad crown featuring several ascending branches. Bark is grey in colour, covered with blisters, peeling in corky scales on old trees. Leaves are alternately arranged, elliptic-ovate in shape, 8–13 cm long and 3–6.5 cm wide, smooth, with entire margins (occasionally toothed), and a pointed tip. Leaf base is rounded or heart-shaped. Stipules are lance-shaped. Crushed leaves emit an unpleasant odour. Flowers are small, greenish-yellow to brownish, pubescent, borne in short racemes or fascicles at the scars of fallen leaves. Sepals are velvety, often 4. Fruit is a circular samara, 2.5 cm in diameter, with membranous, net-veined wings, and flat seed.

Cultivation and uses

''Holoptelea integrifolia'' is used for timber which makes cheap furniture and also used as firewood in rural parts. It is also used in ecological forestry for its heat and drought tolerance and regenerative abilities. Its flowers, leaves and bark have medicinal uses against several diseases.

Propagation

Propagation of this tree is easy. The seeds are just flying around. These seeds can be planted in moist soil in a nursery bag or directly at the permanent location using direct seed plantation method. Sticks of

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of mostly evergreen perennial plant, perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily (biology), subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family, in th ...

can be used for marking and support. Germination takes place after about 10 days. The tree is quite fast growing. These trees can be planted at 6 × 15 feet. They act as good carbon sink due to fast growth.

Gallery

File:18th century illustration flora of the coast of Coromandel Coast India Plants Fruits Flowers (11).jpg, 18th century illustration flora of the coast of Coromandel Coast India Plants File:Holoptelea integrifolia leaf in winter at Akola, Maharashtra, India.JPG, Holoptelea integrifolia leaf in Akola, India File:Krachao (Thai- กระเชา) (3204081018).jpg, A mature Indian elm tree in fall File:Jungle Cork tree (3263013054).jpg, Bark File:Holoptelea integrifolia (3261045098).jpg, Flower File:Holoptelea integrifolia 02.jpg, Unripe fruit File:A Seed of Indian Elm (Holoptelea integrifolia) 01.jpg, Ripe fruit

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q13110312 Ulmaceae Flora of tropical Asia