Trees of Xeir York State 307 



TILIACEAK 



Tili;! ;iiii('ii(;iti;i I^. |'rili;( <;l;iliia \'ciit.| 



Basswood, American Linden 



Habit — A v;ilu;ilili' tiinlicr tree. <;c'iici;illy <i(l-7() feet in lici;;lit with ii tiiiiik 

 l-'.i feet ill (liiiiiictcr. iiiuk'r t'iiv(ir;(l)ki conditioiis sdiiictiiuos !-(> feet tall 

 and 4i(> feet in diameter. Hole stiaifilit, (■(uitiiuiowH into the crown, bear- 

 in<j slender, lateral branidies whiidi form a dense, ovoid crown. In the 

 (ijien the lower branches are pendnloiis and reach within a few feet of tlit- 

 jfrimnd. Forest j;i'own specinuMis have straight, colnmnar trnnks .and lii^ii 

 crowns. 



Leaves — Alternate, broadly ovate to oval, .")-10 inches bmg, abrnptlv acumin- 

 ate at tlie .•ipex. cordate and ine(iuilateral at the base, co.arsely serrate 

 with incnrved, gl.andul.ar teeth, at maturity thick, dark green lustrous and 

 glabrous above, ]p:iler and glabrous below aside from tufts of brown hairs 

 in the axils of the j)rominent veins, borne on slender petioles lM>-2 imdies 

 in length. 



Flowers — Ajipearing in early July after the leaves, perfect, fragrant, yel- 

 hiwish white. l)t)rne in dro<)i)ing. cymose clusters on long jieduncles which 

 are united for .about luilf their length with conspicuous jiale green bracts. 

 Sepals ."). lanceolate, ])ubescent, about % of an inch long. I'etals ~i. Lanceo- 

 late, longer than the sepals, with a spatulate staininode at the base. 

 Stamens numerous, hyi)Ogynous, shorter than the petals, collected in •" 

 groups one of wliich is inserted at the base of each staniinode. I'istil con- 

 sisting of H sessile, pubescent globose, o-celled ovaiy crowned )iy an erect 

 style bearing a 5-lobed stigma at the tip. 



Fruit — An ovcid. obscurely ribbed. ;i])icul;ite. tawny-brown, pubescenl, woody, 

 nut-like <lrupe. about the size of a jiea. boine in cymose clusters on .a long 

 stalk attached at tiie base to the persistent, leafy bract, usually persist- 

 ing on the trees far into the winter. Fruiting bract usually ta])ering or 

 stalked at the base. Drupe 1-celled and usually 1-seeded l)y .abortion. 

 Seed broadly ovoid, about '/^ of ;in inch long. 



Winter characters — Twigs r.ather slender, zigzag, glabrous, lustrous, bright 

 red, becoming olive-red or covered with ;i gray, evanescent skin the second 

 season, niai'ked with scattereil, oblong lenticels. Terminal bud lacking. 

 Lateral buds ovate, acute, lopsided, divergent, dark red or greenish red, 

 smooth or somewhat pubescent at the apex, 1/5-% of an inch long. 

 Visible bud-scales. 2-3, thick, rounded at the back, inserted separately. 

 Mature bark thi<'k. light brown, di\ided by deep fissures into rounded, 

 anastonnising ridges which are s<aly at the surface. Bark on young 

 stems dark gray ;nid smooth. 



Habitat — In rich woods and h'jimy sttils usu.ally in admixture with other 

 species. Thrives in moist, fertile, bottom-laml forests. 



Range — New Hiunswick westward through southern Canada to ^lanitoba. 

 siiutliwa 111 in the Fnited States to Georgia ami eastern Tex.as. Zones A. 

 B. ,and C. 



Uses — A valu.able tindx'r species. Wood light, soft. nuMbMatelv strong, fine- 

 textured and even-grained. light brown to nearly white, with thick, scarcely 

 distinguishable sitpwood. Used extensively for criiting, cheap furniture, 

 wagons, woodenware, drawing boards, trunks, etc., \vliere a soft, tough, 

 easily worked wood is desirable. Small (juantities are ni.anufactured into 

 paper pulp and excelsior. The llowcis are nectariferous and are eagerly 

 soTight by honey bees. The inner hark is fibrous and mucilaginous and is 

 sonu'times manufacture(l into cord.ige. The tree possesses ornamental 

 value and is to ]>(> recommended for planting in the northern states. 



