Wych Elms Ulmus glabra in Assynt (1): Distribution
1. Introduction
Assynt is probably the last bastion for wych elms in Highland Scotland, since they have succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease elsewhere. They can make large trees, as in the case of this magnificent example photographed by Chris Puddephatt beside a waterfall on the Allt a’Chalda Mor, near Inchnadamph (photo 1).
They are readily identified when in leaf, flower or fruit. The leaves are large, toothed, pointed, with lop-sided bases and a very rough texture, see illustration (photo 2) from Stella Ross-Craig’s Drawings of British Plants (1948-1973), part XXVII, plate 1. Tight clusters of reddish flowers turn into round, winged, fruits. Recognising them in winter is more challenging, but location, size, habit, bark and buds all help, as do fallen leaves beneath them.
These notes were produced in response to a request from Mandy Haggith in April 2023 for information on the whereabouts of wych elms in Assynt. Records made in the course of the botanical survey by Pat and myself for the Flora of Assynt (Evans, Evans and Rothero, 2002) were the primary source, supplemented by some fieldwork in late May.
2. Sources
U. glabra is the only species of elm that occurs in the North-west Highlands, so far as is known.
It is part of the list of 300+ ‘widespread’ species on the botanical recording forms used for Assynt (and the rest of Vc.108 West Sutherland). Precise grid references were not normally recorded for such species, so most of the locality details that follow have been trawled from field notes for the dates on which they were first recorded (although they may well have been noted since). Grid references preceded by ? or c. have been assigned in this current exercise.
Elms were more likely to have been localised ‘precisely’ in the past (i.e. with 6-figure grid references) in areas where the species was scarce. So, the record is patchy. A start was made on 26th May 2023 to obtain precise locations for some known trees; notes relating to these are in square brackets [….].
The recording unit for the fieldwork undertaken 1998-2000 for the Flora of Assynt, and elsewhere in West Sutherland up to 2014, was the tetrad (2km square). More recently we have been using the monad (1km square), and noteworthy records are assigned an 8-figure grid reference.
The entry for wych elm in the Flora reads as follows (p.79): ‘30 tetrads. Only occasionally found in woodland. With exception of the Culag River gorge, where there are a number of young specimens, the majority of the records are of single mature trees. They may grow on the edge of a watercourse, in a gorge, or on an inland cliff, sometimes a long way from any other elm tree and posing the interesting question as to how they arrived in such inaccessible places. First recorded in 1767 near Inchnadamph by J.Robertson; his comment “on precipices where there had never been plantations” (Balfour 1907) reflects concern as to whether the species was native, which continued for over a century.’
The known distribution by tetrad was mapped (photo 3), but trees have been found at several ‘new’ sites since 2000.
3. List of localities, arranged by tetrad (all grid references are in the 100km square NC).
01U Inverkirkaig: 12/6/1989 and 2/6/1989, rare, AG (garden ground, so perhaps planted); on the north bank of Loch Kirkaig, 079197.
02Q Badnaban: 8/6/1989, FD (woodland): ?073209. [A roadside elm at 08082019 was noted on 26/5/2023].
02V Strathan and Culag River: 30/8/1997, EWR (waterside), occasional, well-grown trees and seedlings; 094219. [There is a single old tree, probably part of the Sutherland plantings, on the Higgledy Piggledy Path in Culag Woods at approx. 089218. Five trees, including some saplings, were noted on 26/5/2023 on the west bank of the Culag River between 09562192 and 09432199].
02W Lochinver: 18/8/1991, EW (water’s edge); no details given in Flora records, but present in some numbers, at the mouth of the Culag River and River Inver. [Fieldwork on 26/5/2023 noted at least seven trees on the east and west banks of the Culag River between 09432203 and 09422214, including one stool with four large stems. On the same day some seven trees were noted on the banks of the River Inver around the two bridges, between 09582307 and 09672315, with an outlier on the eastern side of the road further north at 09702325. Many were fruiting freely. Further details are available].
02X Rhicarn and Manse Loch: 19/6/1993, FD (woodland), rare; no details. [A single large tree was noted on 26/5/2023 on the west side of the road at Torbreck, on Alan MacRae’s former croft].
02Y Loch Crocach: 7/6/1988, BB (building); one, by ruin of Lochcrocrach; c.094268, presumably planted
03V Strathcroy: 25/9/1996, AG (garden ground), rare; ?081311; presumably planted
11N Gleannan a’Mhadaidh: 4/8/1996, SC (crag), very rare; 151166; first noted by Alex Scott and Bill Henderson in 1991, on mafic dyke on north side of glen; a very isolated specimen.
12B River Inver and Glencanisp Lodge: 20/6/1992; AG (garden ground), rare; no details, but occurs in grounds of Lodge.
12T Loch Leitir Easaidh: 6/6/1989, FD/EW (woodland, waterside), rare; 168268/168269, by waterfall.
12Z Bealach Leireag, Quinag: 23/8/1997, EWR (waterside), very rare, ‘in tiny gorge at 185290 with Corylus’; at about 180m possibly the highest in Assynt.
13A Oldany River: 6/7/1995, FD/EWR (waterside woodland), rare; gorge; 100319.
13B Drumbeg: 9/10/95, AG (garden ground), Lochside; 118328.Also found elsewhere in village, all presumably planted.
13F Nedd: one planted in garden of Calltuinn, c. 1992, 137319.
13K Gleann Leireag: FD/EWR (waterside woodland), rare; one, on north bank of river at 154309.
13L Ardvar, Strath Mor: 20/5/1992, ‘two on cliff’; 145326.
13R Ardvar, Meallard: 7/6/1992, woodland; ‘huge wych elm on boulder scree, other elms nearby’; 159336.
21L Ledbeg: 27/5/1993, ‘waterfall, 3 large … and 2 small’; 242133.
21N Allt nan Uamh: 17/7/1993, SL (limestone crag), rare; 259178.
21P Stronechrubie: 13/7/1998, gorge at 252186, ‘two large, upper one has three stems 60+cm diameter’.
21Q Altnacealgach: 14/7/1992: ‘large U. glabra on west side of [county boundary] burn, south of road’; 267107.
22G Ardvreck Castle: 28/6/1992; 238236.
22K Inchnadamph: 26/9/1993, EWR (waterside); no details given, but probably near blackthorn at ?256218, more in the vicinity (further work needed). Also on lower crag at Creag Sron Chrubaidh at 251209, 24/10/1997.
22L Calda House: 28/6/1992 and 8/8/1993, SL (limestone crag); no details, but conspicuous example on lochside cliff at foot of Creag a’Choimhleum. Also large tree at foot of waterfall on Allt a’Chalda Mor, c.254235. Other elms noted on crags east of the ruins of Eadar a’Chalda in 2423 (further work needed).
22M Achmore: EW (waterside); no details, but probably beside waterfall on Allt a’Chalda Beag, ?241239.
22Q Traligill valley: 14/6/1989, EW (waterside), rare; no details, but one on crag, south side of valley at c.268210, may be others.
22R Allt Poll an Droighinn: 20/6/1993, SB (limestone), rare; no details, perhaps below waterfall at c. 264220. Also gall on elm at 262220, 8/6/2000 (bryological fieldwork).
23B Allt a’Ghamhna: 9/5/1992, SC (crag), rare; ‘Ulmus on both sides’; no details, but present just above bridge at c.213322 and nearer mouth of burn at c.208326.
23G Unapool: 13/9/1990, FD (woodland), rare; no details. 24/9/2004, wet section of crag, Creag Mor na Cairidh, ‘single Alnus glutinosa at top with U. glabra associated with it’. Also in woodland on Creag an Spardain, c.220328.
23K Liath Bhad: 13/6/1990, ‘beautiful U. glabra by waterfall…with striking lichens’ at c.258302, another nearby.
23Q Tom na Toine (sliver of Assynt on west side of burn which is parish boundary): 2/8/1996, 260302.
Ian M.Evans
BSBI Recorder for West Sutherland/Assynt Field Club