Elm or not?

[WhichDoctor]

I came back from a walk this evening with a leaf. I thought it looked familiar but I couldn't place it, my Mum was the same so we spent half an hour or so poring over books and searching the web and we finely came up with Elm as the only real possibility. The only problem is that the tree was big and since Dutch Elm disease arrived I didn't think there were any elms round this part of the world. So dose this look like an Elm leaf to you guys or have we mist something obvious?

Front
http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2641/dscf2045ro5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Back
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/823/dscf2046yc8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The tree was quite big but was in the middle of woods so I couldn't see its shape, it had ridged bark and lots of long twigs with single leaves on alternate sides. I cut the end off one of the twigs and it was very soft and whippy with incredibly strong fiber-us bark, but I managed to lose that on the way back :o .

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Aaron]

Looks like Elm. A distinctive ident feature of Elms are the asymetrical lobes at the bottom of the leaf. Do the leaves feel rough/abrasive?

[WhichDoctor]

Looks like Elm. A distinctive ident feature of Elms are the asymetrical lobes at the bottom of the leaf. Do the leaves feel rough/abrasive?

It's sertanly got the asymetrical lobes at the base of the leaves. My leaf is getting a bit limp by now but yes it due feel a little abrasive.

[addo]

looks like english elm, dont worry about the size of tree as in the protection of woodland there are a few taller elms left. Wych elms are slightly more resistant to DED but their leaf is generally a bit bigger and darker green with a point on the end like yours and often the start of two more points either side of it.

[Exbomz]

Looks like elm to me too. There are many hybrid elms as well so some features are present/less pronounced in different trees.

[tomtom]

If it is a big elm, there are only a very few left of any significant size and you need to report it, unfortunately I cant remember the relevant agency who's collecting the info, might be worth calling your local woodland trust and letting them know who to call.

[WhichDoctor]

Thanks guys :You_Rock_ ,

Wow thats exiting :D , I've never seen an Elm before. I'll have a another look soon and get some photos of it.

Edit:


If it is a big elm, there are only a very few left of any significant size and you need to report it, unfortunately I cant remember the relevant agency who's collecting the info, might be worth calling your local woodland trust and letting them know who to call.

Yes I was going to tell the local wildlife trust about it for starters, I thought they would know who to contact.

[Fin]

At first I thought "Nah! that's Beech that is!"

Closer inspection reveals irregular saw tooth edge (Beech has a gentler edge with a "tooth" at the end of each vein) and the fact that each side of the leaf doesn't meet the stem at the same place - both hallmarks of the Elm.

Well done - a great find!