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BASSWOOD. 



Tilia americana, Linnaeus. 



FAMILY AND GENUS DESCRIPTION The Linden family, Tiliaceae, comprises about 

 35 genera with probably 375 species found in temperate and tropical regions. The members 

 consist of trees, shrubs, and a few herbs. One genus, Tilia, alone has tree representatives 

 in North America. This genus comprises about 20 species, 8 of which are native to North 

 America and 3 to Pennsylvania. Two species are described here. The third species, known as 

 Michaux's Basswood (Tilia Michauxii Nutt.) is very rare in this State. Its leaves which are 

 densely pubescent and grayish-green beneath and its floral bracts usually rounded at the 

 base are distinctive. The bark of the branches is usually smoother and lighter than that 

 of the 2 other native species. 



FORM A large tree usually attaining a height of 60-70 ft. but may reach a height of 

 120 ft. with a diameter of 4J feet. Trunk straight, clean, with little taper. Crown dense, 

 broad, rather deep, ovoid or rounded. 



BARK On old trunks firm but easily cut, thick, longitudinally-furrowed into flat scaly 

 ridges. Ridges often divided by transverse recendary furrows. On young stems dark gray 

 and smooth. See Fig. 79. 



TWIGS Smooth or very finely hairy, shining, bright red; second year olive, olive-red, or 



covered with a gray skin; usually zigzag, tough, mucilaginous if chewed, covered with 



scattered, dark, oblong lenticels. In cross-'jection, characteristic blunt conical masses with 

 intervening lighter colored areas are present. 



BUDS Alternate; terminal bud absent; ovoid, 2-ranked, stout, often somewhat flattened, 

 divergent, usually deep red, occasionally greenish, mucilaginous, smooth or sometimes slightly 

 hairy towards apex. Bud -scales glabrous, thick, rounded at back, usually 3 visible; one 

 large scale makes bud unsymmetrical. 



LEAVES Alternate, simple, ovate to orbicular, 4-7 inches long, firm in texture, long- 

 pointed at apex, deeply toothed on margin with sharp teeth, unequally heart-shaped to 

 truncate at base, dark green and shining on upper surface, green and smooth on lower except 

 for a few rusty hairs. Leaf-stalks slender, $ length of blade. The side of the leaf nearest 

 the branch is the largest. 



LEAF-SCARS Alternate, large, conspicuous, raised, 2-ranked, containing few to many 

 bundle-scars arranged in a ring or a single curved line, or scattered. Stipule-scars distinct, 

 one narrow, the other broad; often show bundle-scars. 



FLOWERS Appear about June. Perfect, regular, sweet, fragrant, yellowish-white, 5-20 in 

 drooping cymose clusters. The long peduncle which bears the flowers is united for about 

 half its length with a conspicuous green bract. 



FRUIT A wooty, spherical, nut-like drupe about the size of a pea. Occurs singly or in 

 small clusters with a common stalk attached to a leafy bract and often persisting far into 

 winter. 



WOOD Diffuse-porous; rays distinct, but colorless; light, soft, compact, moderately strong, 

 light brown to nearly white, fine in texture; little difference between spring wood and summer 

 wood. Weighs 28.20 Ibs. per cubic foot. Used in the manufacture of paper-pulp, wooden- 

 ware, cheap furniture, panels for carriages, kegs, pails, barrel headings, berry boxes. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The Basswood, also known as Linden, Lime-tree, 

 Whitewood, Beetree, Whistle-wood, and Lynn, may be distinguished by its large, firm un- 

 equally based leaves with green and smooth lower surfaces, by its smooth bright red twigs, 

 by its alternate, deep red, unsymmetrical buds with 2-3 visible scales, by its white flowers 

 arranged in drooping clusters attached to a green bract, and by its woody spherical nut-like 

 drupe about the size of a pea attached to winged bracts. The dark funnel-shaped areas in the 

 inner bark alternating with lighter areas as seen in a cross-section of a twig are characteristic. 

 The smooth dark gray bark of younger stems and the thick longitudinally-furrowed bark on 

 older trunks are distinguishing features. 



RANGE New Brunswick to Manitoba, southward to Georgia and eastern Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA Common in the eastern and southeastern parts of 

 the State. Rare in the mountainous parts except in rich valleys. Locally abundant in the 

 western part. 



HABITAT Rarely grows in pure stands, but usually mixed with other hardwoods. Prefers 

 rich soils in bottomlands. It can endure considerable shade. It suffers little from windfall 

 but occasionally from windbreak upon exposed situations. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES This tree is one of our important timber trees on ac- 

 count of the valuable wood and the bark which it produces. Seeds or seedlings may be 

 planted. If seedlings are used, they should be planted early in spring before growth starts. 

 The tree sprouts from stump very freely (Fig. 79). It grows rapidly, produces beautiful 

 sweet smelling flowers, and is rarely attacked by fungi. It is one of our most attractive 

 ornamental trees. 



