''Zelkova abelicea'' is a species of tree in the family

Ulmaceae The Ulmaceae () are a family of flowering plants that includes the elms (genus ''Ulmus''), and the zelkovas (genus ''Zelkova''). Members of the family are widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone, and have a scattered distribution e ...

. It is referred to by the common names Cretan zelkova, and on

Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

proper as abelitsia (αμπελιτσιά). It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

. It is found in small numbers and is classified as Vulnerable on the

IUCN red list The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

of endangered species.

Growth habit

It is a medium-sized tree that grows from to tall. The tree is strongly branched resulting in a dense, crown shaped habit that extends close to the ground. The leaves are small and green with serrated edges. ''Z.abelicea'' produces perfect hermaphroditic flowers which are small and scented, and pollination is therefore thought to be achieved by insects. This species is capable of suckering, a form of reproduction where new shoots arise from an existing root system rather than from a seed. Natural regeneration by seed is rarely seen. Root cutting seem to show a 50% success rate, though best results may be seen in the cuttings taken from late August. Branch cutting of young shoots also root with moderate success when taken in late mid to late summer. This species is usually found on rocky, mountainous areas at altitudes between .

Shepherd's crook

Because of its tough nature, it was formerly the most preferred wood for making the traditional Cretan

shepherd A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...

's versatile

crook Crook is another name for criminal. Crook or Crooks may also refer to: Places * Crook, County Durham, England, a town * Crook, Cumbria, England, village and civil parish * Crook Hill, Derbyshire, England * Crook, Colorado, United States, a ...

el, katsouna. Today it is forbidden by law to use ''Z. abelitsia'' for making a shepherd's crook, since it is made of an entire young tree.

Conservation status

The

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Red List of Threatened Species The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biologi ...

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...

(EN) – very high risk of extinction in the wild. The species is threatened by urbanization, habitat loss,

overgrazing Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature res ...

, and wildfires. Recent fieldwork seems to show that ''Z. abelicea'' is becoming more abundant.

Accessions

Europe

Icomb Place Icomb Place (pronounced "Ickum") is a medieval manor house on the edge of the village of Icomb, near Stow on the Wold in Gloucestershire. The word "place" in this context is thought to be a precursor of "palace". Description The house is a Gra ...

gardens, as ''Z. abelicea''.

References

Sources

* Fielding, J. & Turland, N.; Mathew, B. (ed.), 2005. Flowers of Crete. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. * Turland, N. J., Chilton, L. & Press, J. R., 1993. Flora of the Cretan area: annotated checklist & atlas nd impression, 1995, with printing errors corrected The Natural History Museum and HMSO, London. * Søndergaard, P. & Egli, B.R.: Zelkova abelicea (Ulmaceae) in Crete: Floristics, Ecology, Propagation and Threats. - Willdenowia 36 (Special Issue): 317-322 - , copyright 2006 BGBM Berlin-Dahle
available as PDF file
* "Cretan Zelkova (Zelkova abelicea)." Arkive. Wildscreen: Promoting Conservation through Wildlife Imagery. 4 May 2009 . {{Taxonbar, from=Q499409 Flora of Greece abelicea Vulnerable plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Taxa named by Pierre Edmond Boissier Flora of Crete