BRITISH FOREST TREES 299 



2. THK LIME OR LINDEN (Tilia europaa, L. =T. PARVI- 

 FOUA AND T. GRANDIFOLIA, Ehrh.). 



Linneus' original nomenclature has been altered by later 

 authorities owing to certain botanical differences noted, and 

 as these are accompanied by very apparent changes in the 

 form and size of the leaves, the two species of linden are 

 now known as the small-leaved, or winter lime (T. parrifolia, 

 Ehrh. = T. ulmifolia, Scop.), and the large-leaved or summer 

 lime (T. grandifolia, Ehrh. = T. platyphylla, Scop.). 



Distribution. The small-leaved lime extends from central 

 and northern Russia, where it forms forests and attains its 

 highest development, westwards towards the north of Spain, 

 northwards to Finland and Scandinavia, southwards to 

 southern Italy, and eastwards to western Siberia. In the 

 Tyrol it ascends to nearly 3,900 feet above sea-level, and 

 2,000 feet in the Baierwald. The larger-leaved species is 

 indigenous throughout southern Europe up to central Ger- 

 many, and eastwards to the Caucasus, attaining its best 

 development in southern Russia ; it ascends to a greater 

 elevation than the other lime, reaching 3,000 feet in the 

 Baierwald. In Britain the limes are slow to break into leaf 

 in May, and are usually among the first to defoliate in early 

 autumn ; they are only in activity during the warmest time 

 of the year, and it is evident that they require in general a 

 very considerable degree of warmth. It seems beyond 

 question that neither species is indigenous to Britain, for the 

 ripening of their seed cannot be depended on ; but in any 

 case it is known that the larger-leaved lime was -introduced 

 from the Continent during the eighteenth century, and it is 

 supposed that both species had previously been brought 

 across by the Romans. Along with the aspen, the small- 



