Ptelea
Ptelea trifoliata
The clover elm or leather bushes ( Ptelea ) are a genus of shrubs and trees of the family Rutaceae ( Rutaceae ).
Description
The clover elms are deciduous, aromatic scented shrubs or trees with bitter-tasting bark and bare, dark red-brown branches. The buds are about 1 millimeter wide. They are silvery hairy and sunk. The leaf scars show three vascular traces. Terminal buds are missing. The leaves are alternate. They are stalked and usually in threes. The leaves are serrated margin entire or weak. You are dotted translucent. The leaves turn golden yellow in autumn. They contain oil glands, making the leaves when crushed smell aromatic. Klee elms are polygamous. The flowers are greenish white, small and inconspicuous. They are in terminal panicles of short side branches. The calyx is short and shows four to five overlapping lobes. The four to five overlapping petals are also significantly longer than the sepals. The four or five stamens are shorter than the petals. The ovary is zweifächrig, the style short. As fruits strongly flattened, more or less round 2 to 2.5 cm wide, broadly winged, two-seeded nuts are formed.
Dissemination
The distribution of the genus extends across North America and Mexico. In Europe Ptelea trifoliata is cultivated in parts of Oceania, the species has been naturalized. The representatives of the genus prefer sheltered areas on moist, well drained soils.
System
The genus of clover elm ( Ptelea ) is in the family of Rutaceae ( Rutaceae ) assigned to the subfamily Toddalioideae. The name Ptelea was given the genus Linnaeus and is derived from the Greek Ptelea for the elm. The reason for the choice of name are the elm -like fruits of the genus. The clover elms are ten to eleven species assigned, including:
- Ptelea aptera Parry
- Ptelea trifoliata L.
Use
Species of the genus are planted in groups or rear bushes. The highly fragrant fruits of Ptelea trifoliata were also used as hop substitute.