FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 169 



fewer, rarely entirely absent; stamens numerous, united in several sets; 

 ovary 2-10-celled, becoming a berry a drupe or a capsule in fruit. The 

 Linden family is represented in our region almost exclusively by the 

 linden proper (Tilia), of which there are several species in America and 

 Europe. The tree may always be recognized, when in bloom, by the 

 fragrant clusters of white flowers, the peduncles of which are partly 

 coherent with, in fact seeming to spring from, a broad membranous 

 bract. At other seasons the broad, cordate leaves are characteristic. 



Fig. 149, Flowers, section of fruit, column of stamens, and seeds of the swamp rose mallow 

 {Hibiscus tnoscheulos) . After Dodge, Report No. 9, U. S. Dep't of Agric. 



Lindens or basswoods are not only useful as shade trees, but they yield 

 wood of fine quality, and the flowers provide a favorite food for bees. 

 The inner bark is tough and fibrous, and in Russia forms an extensive 

 article "of commerce under the name of Russia matting, being used for 

 tying, packing, etc. But it is the genus Corchorus that is of the most 

 value in this respect, for several species of the latter yield jute, one of 

 the most valuable of our fibers. One of the jute plants, an East Indian 

 species (C olitorius) is shown in Fig. 145. All the members of this 

 genus are herbs. Greivia and Triumfetta are other types of the Linden 



