PLANTS. 235 



with spices and sugar, form the article everywhere known 

 as Chocolate, h. 



FIFTEENTH FAMILY. TILIAC.-EE (LINDEN BLOOMS). 

 (Class 13, L.) 



The Common Lime tree (Tilia europaea), Torr., has 

 heart-shaped, sharp-pointed leaves. The flowers hang in 

 clusters, and have a long leaf covering, or cyme, which 

 is adherent to the flower pedicle. The fruit is globous, 

 and ripens in Octobor. Grows either in forests or free 

 spaces ; the roots spread very widely. Very hardy, the 

 trees of this family often attain the age of eight hundred 

 years, and measure more than twenty feet in circumfer- 

 ence. The young trees will bear transplantation until 

 they reach the thirtieth year. The wood, soft, light, and 

 tough, is much used in cabinet work and by turners. 

 The young branches are burnt, and form the crayons 

 used in drawing ; also, the blue-black necessary in the 

 preparation of gunpowder, and is considered the best 

 dentrifice known. The inner bark is very strong, and 

 from the fibres, first softened in water, ropes, mats, and 

 baskets are manufactured. The flowers of the European 

 lime tree have a pleasant odor, and are sometimes used 

 as tea. They are valued as food for bees, as they impart 

 a pleasant flavor to the honey. The seeds yield a much 

 prized oil, closely resembling that of almonds, h. 



There are other varieties of Tilia, such as 



The Linden (Tilia americana), Torr., also known as 

 Pumpkin tree or Basswood ; differing little from the 

 foregoing ; growing in forests, and reaching to eighty 

 feet in height. "Wood used in cabinet work and paneling 

 of carriages. Another variety, found on the banks of 

 the Mississippi and Ohio, is 



The Various-Leaved Linden (Heterophylla), Pursh, 



