In TOT, Linden in
Elemesnedene observes:
Ahead lay the only landmark Linden had seen in the whole of the clachan—a broad ring of dead elms... black and immemorial death... she did not understand... (124).
In FR, at Gallows Howe:
In starlight and the lucent allusions of the Forestal's music, she saw two dead black trees standing beyond the lifeless hillcrest. (292)
I checked TIW to see if it says what kind of trees are on the Forestal's hill, but I didn't find this information. Maybe the type is not important. But I think it
might be important that the trees are black like Linden's Staff is now. Since the darkness in
Elemesnedene is a mystery to Linden, maybe it was one of those Last Chronicles foreshadowings (literally!) in the Second Chronicles. Maybe it represents the shadow on the heart of the
Elohim?