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{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Eucommia''
| image = Eucommia-ulmoides.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Eucommia ulmoides'' foliage and flowers.
| status = LR/nt
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Garryales]]
| familia = '''Eucommiaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Adolf Engler|Engler]]
| genus = '''''Eucommia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Daniel Oliver|Oliv.]]
| species = '''''E. ulmoides'''''
| binomial = ''Eucommia ulmoides''
| binomial_authority = Oliv.
}}
'''Eucommia''' (''Eucommia ulmoides'') is a small [[tree]] native to [[China]]. It is [[extinct]] in the wild, but is widely cultivated in China for its [[bark]], highly valued in [[herbology]] such as [[Traditional Chinese medicine]] (TCM).
''Eucommia'' is the sole member of the family Eucommiaceae, and was formerly considered to be a separate order, the Eucommiales. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in [[Chinese herbology]], where it is called dùzhòng ([[wiktionary:杜|杜]][[wiktionary:仲|仲]]).
Eucommia 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. The [[flower]]s are inconspicuous, small and greenish; the [[fruit]] is a winged [[Samara (fruit)|samara]] with one [[seed]], very similar to an [[elm]] samara in appearance, 2–3 cm long and 1–2 cm broad.
Eucommia is also occasionally planted in [[botanical garden]]s and other [[garden]]s in [[Europe]], [[North America]] and elsewhere, being of interest as the only cold-tolerant (to at least -30°C) rubber-producing tree.
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 [[Para rubber tree|rubber tree]].
[[Fossil]]s of ''Eucommia'' have been found in 10–35 million year old [[lignite|brown coal]] deposits in central [[Europe]] and widely in [[North America]] (Call & Dilcher 1997), indicating that the genus had a much wider range in the past.
==Ethnomedical Use==
The bark is used in [[traditional Chinese medicine]] to treat lower back pain, aching knees, and to prevent [[miscarriage]]. Also used to "tonify" the [[Yang]].
==References and external links==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=World Conservation Monitoring Centre|year=1998|id=31280|title=Eucommia ulmoides|downloaded=11 May 2006}}
*Call, V.B. and Dilcher, D.L. 1997. The fossil record of Eucommia (Eucommiaceae) in North America. ''American Journal of Botany'' 84(6): 798-814. Available [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/84/6/798.pdf online] (pdf file)
[[Category:Garryales]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Eucommia''
| image = Eucommia-ulmoides.JPG
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Eucommia ulmoides'' foliage and flowers.
| status = LR/nt
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Garryales]]
| familia = '''Eucommiaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Adolf Engler|Engler]]
| genus = '''''Eucommia'''''
| genus_authority = [[Daniel Oliver|Oliv.]]
| species = '''''E. ulmoides'''''
| binomial = ''Eucommia ulmoides''
| binomial_authority = Oliv.
}}
'''Eucommia''' (''Eucommia ulmoides'') is a small [[tree]] native to [[China]]. It is [[extinct]] in the wild, but is widely cultivated in China for its [[bark]], highly valued in [[herbology]] such as [[Traditional Chinese medicine]] (TCM).
''Eucommia'' is the sole member of the family Eucommiaceae, and was formerly considered to be a separate order, the Eucommiales. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in [[Chinese herbology]], where it is called dùzhòng ([[wiktionary:杜|杜]][[wiktionary:仲|仲]]).
Eucommia 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. The [[flower]]s are inconspicuous, small and greenish; the [[fruit]] is a winged [[Samara (fruit)|samara]] with one [[seed]], very similar to an [[elm]] samara in appearance, 2–3 cm long and 1–2 cm broad.
Eucommia is also occasionally planted in [[botanical garden]]s and other [[garden]]s in [[Europe]], [[North America]] and elsewhere, being of interest as the only cold-tolerant (to at least -30°C) rubber-producing tree.
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 [[Para rubber tree|rubber tree]].
[[Fossil]]s of ''Eucommia'' have been found in 10–35 million year old [[lignite|brown coal]] deposits in central [[Europe]] and widely in [[North America]] (Call & Dilcher 1997), indicating that the genus had a much wider range in the past.
==Ethnomedical Use==
The bark is used in [[traditional Chinese medicine]] to treat lower back pain, aching knees, and to prevent [[miscarriage]]. Also used to "tonify" the [[Yang]].
==References and external links==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=World Conservation Monitoring Centre|year=1998|id=31280|title=Eucommia ulmoides|downloaded=11 May 2006}}
*Call, V.B. and Dilcher, D.L. 1997. The fossil record of Eucommia (Eucommiaceae) in North America. ''American Journal of Botany'' 84(6): 798-814. Available [http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/84/6/798.pdf online] (pdf file)
[[Category:Garryales]]
