Celtis caucasica Willd.

A medium-sized tree with a greyish trunk and limbs, and a bushy head of branches; young shoots downy. Leaves obliquely ovate or ovate-lanceolate, slenderly (often rather abruptly) pointed, coarsely toothed; 21⁄2 to 4 in. long, broadly wedge-shaped at the base; upper surface covered when young with short, bristle-like hairs which mostly fall away, leaving it slightly rough; lower surface covered at first with softer down, most of which also falls away except on the midrib and veins; stalk downy, 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 in. long. Fruit 1⁄3 in. diameter, yellow, borne on a slender stalk about 1 in. long.

Native of Afghanistan, N. India, Caucasus, etc.; raised at Kew from seed sent from Afghanistan by Dr Aitchison when he was attached to the Delimit­ation Commission (1884–5). It is very closely allied to C. australis, but is evidently a much hardier tree, and far better adapted for cultivation in the south of England. It differs from that species in its comparatively shorter, broader leaves with less drawn-out points, less downy, and usually more coarsely toothed.

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

The two examples at Kew now measure 33 × 5 ft and 41 × 41⁄4 ft (1981).