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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Zelkova''
| image = Zelkova serrata.jpg
| image_width = 260px
| image_caption = ''Zelkova serrata''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Rosales]]
| familia = [[Ulmaceae]]
| genus = '''''Zelkova'''''
| genus_authority = [[Édouard Spach|Spach]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See text
}}

'''''Zelkova''''' is a [[genus]] of six species of [[deciduous]] [[tree]]s in the elm family [[Ulmaceae]], native to southern [[Europe]], and southwest and eastern [[Asia]]. They vary in size from [[shrub]]s (''Z. sicula'') to large trees up to 35 m tall (''Z. carpinifolia'').

The name ''Zelkova'' ultimately derives from the native name of ''Z. carpinifolia'' in one or more of the [[languages of the Caucasus]], as shown by the [[Georgian language|Georgian]] name, {{Unicode|ძელქვა}} (dzelkva. ძელ dzel meaning a bar, and ქვა kva meaning a rock. The tree was often used for making rock-hard and durable bars for the building).

;Species
*''[[Zelkova abelicea]]'' - Cretan Zelkova
*''[[Zelkova carpinifolia]]'' - Caucasian Zelkova
*''[[Zelkova serrata]]'' - Keyaki or Japanese Zelkova
*''[[Zelkova sicula]]'' - Sicilian Zelkova
*''[[Zelkova sinica]]'' - Chinese Zelkova
*''[[Zelkova schneideriana]]'' - Schneider's Zelkova
;Hybrids
*''[[Zelkova × verschaffeltii]]'' ''(Z. carpinifolia × Z. serrata)''

The Sicilian Zelkova ''Z. sicula'', only discovered in [[1991]], is listed as an [[endangered species]]. The only known population comprises a small number of low [[shrub]]s suffering from severe [[overgrazing]]; the natural mature size of undamaged specimens is unknown.

''Zelkova serrata'' and ''Z. carpinifolia'' are grown as [[ornamental tree]]s.

The genus ''Zelkova'' was common throughout [[North America]] and [[Northern Europe]] as late as the [[Pliocene]]. However, extensive [[Pleistocene]] [[glaciation]] has confined the genus to its present range south of the [[Alps]] and [[Pyrenees]], and in [[East Asia]] where only local glaciation occurred.

==References and external links==
*Andrews, S. (1994). Tree of the year: Zelkova. ''Int. Dendrol. Soc. Yearbook'' 1993: 11-30.
*de Spoelberch, P. (1994). Zelkova: More questions than answers. ''Int. Dendrol. Soc. Yearbook'' 1993: 30-33.
*Hunt, D. (1994). Beware of the Zelkova. ''Int. Dendrol. Soc. Yearbook'' 1993: 33-41.
*Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-220013-9
*[http://www.dipbot.unict.it/fito_new/territori/distribleo/zelkova_sicula.html ''Zelkova sicula'' photos]
*[http://www.amen.org.uk/vorwelt/megasucc/megac10.htm Survivors from the Tertiary]
*[http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/our_work/plants/Top50/English/Zelkova_sicula_EN.htm Zelkova sicula at IUCN]

[[Category:Ulmaceae]]
[[Category:Horticulture]]
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