Description: Deciduous tree 20-30 m (65-100 ft) with a bole diameter to 1 m (3.3 ft) or more. This tree has a Latin name which translates as 'smooth' or 'hairless' and refers to the bark, which remains smooth for several years, and does not have the corky flanges found in some other species. In contrast the leaves are very rough and are covered in short stiff hairs on the surface and under carriage.

Crown: Young trees ovoid or columnar conic, developing a broad and domed crown with radiating main branches in old trees. Bark: Smooth and silvery grey for several years, becoming dull and fissuring with black cracks, still later grey-brown and developing and interconnecting network of ridges. Shoot: Brown with small pale lenticels and stout in first winter, initially hairy, later grey-brown. Foliage: In flat zig-zag sprays; leaves oval to obovate, base oblique and very unequal, apex with a slender point or with three or more points or coarse triangular lobes across the broad shoulder of the leaf, margin coarsely and doubly toothed, upper surface very rough to the touch with 14-20 impressed secondary veins, dull green, beneath finely downy and paler 8-18 x 4-10 cm; leaf stalk stout, short, less than 6 mm.

Range: Throughout Europe except for the far north and into western Asia.

Habitat: Woodland, hedgerows, exposed ground and sea-sides

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