Ulmus wallichiana var. tomentosa was identified by Melville

Ronald Melville

Ronald Melville was an English botanist, based at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. He is chiefly remembered for his wartime research into rosehips as a source of vitamin C, prompted by the epidemic of scurvy amongst children owing to the reduced importation of fresh fruit...

 & Heybroek

Hans M. Heybroek

Hans M. Heybroek is a Dutch botanist best known for his researches into the genus Ulmus at the Dorschkamp Research Institute for Forestry & Landscape Planning. Until his retirement in 1992, he was responsible for the raising and release of numerous elm hybrid cultivars, notably 'Columella'...

 after the latter's expedition to the Himalaya in 1960.

Description

The tree is very similar to Ulmus wallichiana subsp. wallichiana

Ulmus wallichiana subsp. wallichiana

Ulmus wallichiana subsp. wallichiana Melville & Heybroek was identified by Melville and Heybroekafter the latter's expedition to the Himalaya in 1960.-Description:...

, but distinguished by young stems and lower surfaces of leaves densely white-tomentose; the samara

Samara (fruit)

A samara is a type of fruit in which a flattened wing of fibrous, papery tissue develops from the ovary wall. A samara is a simple dry fruit and indehiscent . It is a winged achene...

e are uniformly hirsute.

Pests and diseases

The tree has a high resistance to the fungus Ophiostoma himal-ulmi endemic to the Himalaya and the cause of Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease is a disease caused by a member of the sac fungi category, affecting elm trees which is spread by the elm bark beetle. Although believed to be originally native to Asia, the disease has been accidentally introduced into America and Europe, where it has devastated native...

there.