Elm

(Ulmus procera Salisb. =U. campestris auct. angl., English Elm and Ulrnus glabra Huds. which includes U. scabra Mill., Wych Elm, Ulmaceae)

Also Called: Common Elm.

Description: Large trees up to 40m (130ft), bearing broadly oval or obovate rough leaves with asymmetric base and serrate or doubly serrate margin. The two species are difficult to distinguish: the leaves of English Elm are petiolate and are smooth above, the young branches are pubescent; the leaves of Wych Elm are very shortly petiolate and are very rough above, the twigs are coarsely hairy, becoming smooth. The dark grey bark is smooth but becoming longitudinally striated.

Part Used: Dried young bark. Old barks with fissured cork contain practically no active constituents. Dried in the shade or in sunlight.

Habitat and Collection: Both species are native. English Elm is found throughout England, more frequently in the south, in hedges and fields. Wych Elm is scattered throughout Britain but is more common in the west and north. The bark is collected in spring before the emergence of the leaves.

Constituents and Action: The bark contains abundant mucilage and tannin. Applied to the mucosa it is astringent and anti-inflammatory (tannin); the mucilage also protects from external irrilants

Usage: Internally as a tisane (infuse a handful of finely chopped or coarsely powdered bark in 1 litre (1 -75pt) of boiling water) or in powder form (2-5g (0.07-0.17oz) 3-4 times daily in a little water) for diarrhoea. Externally an infusion (30-100g (1-3.5 oz) in 1 litre (1 •75pt) of water is used as an application for inflammations, haemorrhoids and as a mouthwash and gargle.