Eucommia ulmoides

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Eucommia ulmoides
Eucommia-ulmoides.JPG
Foliage and flowers
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Garryales
Family: Eucommiaceae
Genus: Eucommia
Species:
E. ulmoides
Binomial name
Eucommia ulmoides

Eucommia ulmoides is a species of small tree native to China. It belongs to the monotypic family Eucommiaceae. It is considered vulnerable in the wild, but is widely cultivated in China for its bark and is highly valued in herbology such as traditional Chinese medicine.

Contents

Description

Eucommia ulmoides grows to about 15 m tall. The leaves are deciduous, arranged alternately, simple ovate with an acuminate tip, 8–16 cm long, and with a serrated margin. If a leaf is torn across, strands of latex exuded from the leaf veins solidify into rubber and hold the two parts of the leaf together. It flowers from March to May. The flowers are inconspicuous, small and greenish; the fruit, June to November, is a winged samara with one seed, very similar to an elm samara in appearance, 2–3 cm long and 1–2 cm broad.

Taxonomy

E. ulmoides is the sole living species of the genus Eucommia . Eucommia is the only genus of the family Eucommiaceae, and was formerly considered to be a separate order, the Eucommiales. It is also sometimes known as "gutta-percha tree" or "Chinese rubber tree", but is not related to either the true gutta-percha tree of southeastern Asia, nor to the South American rubber tree.

Distribution

This tree is also occasionally planted in botanical gardens and other gardens in Europe, North America and elsewhere, being of interest as the only cold-tolerant (to at least -30 °C) rubber-producing tree. Fossils of other Eucommia species have been found in 10- to 35-million-year-old brown coal deposits in central Europe and widely in North America, indicating that the genus had a much wider range in the past. [3]

Uses

Eucommia ulmoides pastilles, known as duzhongwan (Chinese: Du Zhong Wan ) Du zhong wan (Du Zhong Wan ).jpg
Eucommia ulmoides pastilles, known as dùzhòngwán (Chinese: 杜仲丸)

It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in Chinese herbology, where it is called dùzhòng (Chinese : ). Because of the low production and high demand for natural rubber in China, a unique process has been developed to manufacture elastic materials with Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) as substitutes for natural rubber products. Unlike the latex used to produce natural rubber, the EUG is the polymer trans-1,4-polyisoprene. Thus materials made from EUG may demonstrate characteristics other than those of natural rubber, such as higher elasticity, lower thermoplastic temperature, etc.

Chemistry

The iridoid glucoside geniposidic acid can be found in E. ulmoides.

See also

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<i>Eucommia</i> Genus of trees

Eucommia is a genus of small trees now native to China, with a fossil record that shows a much wider distribution. The single living species, Eucommia ulmoides, is near threatened in the wild, but is widely cultivated in China for its bark, and is highly valued in herbology such as traditional Chinese medicine.

Eucommia eocenica is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Eucommiaceae. E. eocenica is known from fossil fruits found in the middle Eocene Claiborne Formation deposits of the southeastern United States. E. eocenica is one of five described fossil species from North America assigned to the modern genus Eucommia. The other species are E. constans, E. jeffersonensis, E. montana, and E. rowlandii.

<i>Eucommia montana</i> Extinct species of tree

Eucommia montana is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Eucommiaceae. E. montana is known from fossil fruits found in Eocene deposits of the northwestern United States southeastern British Columbia south to Oregon and east to Montana and Colorado. E. montana is one of five described fossil species from North America assigned to the modern genus Eucommia. The other species are E. constans, E. eocenica, E. jeffersonensis, and E. rowlandii.

Eucommia constans is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Eucommiaceae. Eucommia is a genus of small trees now native to China, with a fossil record that shows a much wider distribution. E. constans is known from fossil fruits found in Miocene to Pleistocene deposits of east-central Mexico. E. constans is one of five described fossil species from North America assigned to the modern genus Eucommia. The other species are E. eocenica, E. jeffersonensis, E. montana, and E. rowlandii.

Eucommia jeffersonensis is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Eucommiaceae. It is known from a fossil fruit found in latest Eocene deposits of Oregon, United States. E. jeffersonensis is one of five described fossil species from North America assigned to the modern genus Eucommia. The other species are E. constans, E. eocenica, E. montana, and E. rolandii.

Eucommia rolandii is an extinct species of flowering plant in the family Eucommiaceae. E. rolandii is known from four fossil leaves found in Middle Eocene deposits of British Columbia, Canada and Mississippi, United States. E. rolandii is one of five described fossil species from North America assigned to the modern genus Eucommia. The other species are E. constans, E. eocenica, E. jeffersonensis, and E. montana.

<i>Palaquium gutta</i> Species of tree

Palaquium gutta is a tree in the family Sapotaceae. The specific epithet gutta is from the Malay word getah meaning "sap or latex". It is known in Indonesia as karet oblong.

Palaquium hexandrum is a tree in the family Sapotaceae. The specific epithet hexandrum means "six stamens", referring to the flowers.

Palaquium obovatum is a tree in the family Sapotaceae. The specific epithet obovatum means "egg-shaped", referring to the leaves.

References

  1. Rivers, M.C. (2018). "Eucommia ulmoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T31280A130694949. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T31280A130694949.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "IPNI Plant name details Eucommia ulmoides". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  3. Call, V. B.; Dilcher, D. L. (1997). "The fossil record of Eucommia (Eucommiaceae) in North America". American Journal of Botany. 84 (6): 798–814. doi:10.2307/2445816. JSTOR   2445816. PMID   21708632. S2CID   20464075.