LINACt:^, (^FLAX FAMILY.) 101 



yRDER 21. TILIACE^E. (LixDEN Family.) 



Trees (i-arely herbs), with the inucilaainons properties, Jibrous bark, 

 vnlcale cali/x, etc., of the Mallow Family; but the sepals deciduous, petals 

 iinf>ric(ited in the bud. Ilie stamens usualhj jioiycdelphous, and the authers 

 2-celled. Represented in Northern regions only by the genus, 



1. T I L I A, Tourn. Lixdkx. Basswood. 



Sepals 5, Petals 5, spatulate-oblong. Stamens numerous ; filaments coher- 

 ing in 5 clusters with each other (in European species), or with the l)ase of a 

 spatiilate petal-like body placed opposite each of the real petals. Pistil with 

 a 5-celled ovary, and 2 lialf-anatropous ovules in each cell, a single style, and a 

 5-toothed stigma. Fruit dry and woody, indehisceut-globular, becoming 1- 

 celled and 1 -2-seeded. Embryo in hard albumen ; cotyledons broad and thin, 

 5-lobed, crumpled. — Fine trees, with soft and white wood, very fil)rous and 

 tough inner bark, more or less heart-shaped and serrate alternate leaves (ob- 

 lique and often truncate at the base), deciduous stipules, and small cymes of 

 flowers, hanging on an axillary peduncle which is united to a ligulate mem- 

 branaceous bract. Flowers cream-color, honey-bearing, fragrant. (The clas- 

 sical Latin name.) 



1. T. Americana, L. (Basswood.) Leaves large, green and glabrous 

 or nearly so, thickisli ; floral bract usually tapering at base; fruit ovoid. — 

 Rich woods. May, June. — Here rarely called Lime-tree, oftener White-wood, 

 commonly Bassa-ood : the latter name now obsolete in England. 



2. T. pubescens. Ait. Leaves smaller (2-3' long), thinner, and rather 

 pubescent beneath ; floral bract usually rounded at base ; fruit globose, smaller 

 (3" broad) (T. Americana, var. pubescens, Man.) — N, Y. to Fla., and west- 

 ward. 



3. T. heterophylla. Vent. (White Basswood.) Leaves larger, 



smooth and bright green above, silvery -whitened with a fine down underneath. 



— Mountains of Penn. to S. 111., and southward. 



T. EuROP^EA,the Europeax Lixden, several varieties of wliich are planted 

 in and near our cities for shade, is at once distinguished from any native spe- 

 cies by tlie al)sence of the petal-like scales among the stamens. This tree (the 

 Lin) gave the family name to Linaitius. 



Order 22. LIXACE^E. (Flax Family ) 



Herbs (I'arehj shrubs) with the recjular and symmetrical hypogynous 

 flowers 4:-G-7nerous throughout, strongly imbricated calyx and convolute 

 petals, 5 stamens monadelphous at base, arid an 8-10-seeded pod, haviuf] 

 twice as many cells as there are styles. Represented by the genus, 



1. LINUM, Totirn. Flax. 

 Sepals (persistent), petals, stamens, and styles .5, regularly alternate with each 

 other. Pod of 5 united carpels (into which it splits in dehiscence) and 5-celled 

 with 2 seeds hanging from the summit of each cell, which is partly or completely 

 divided into two by a falsp partition projecting from the back of the carpel, 

 the pod thus becoming 10-ceUed. Seeds anatropous, mucilae^inous, flattened. 



