STATE GEOLOGIST. 35 



TILIACEiE. Linden Family. 



TIJLIA, L. Linden. Basswood. 



T. Americana, L, Basswoocl. Bass. Linden. Lime Tree. Whitewood. 



Very abundant in the Bis Woods, and generally common throughout the state ; not 

 found near the Minnesota shore of lake Superior, but frequent north of thislaiie.on 

 maple ridges 400 feet and more above it, attaining a hight of 70 feet and diameter of 20 

 inches, Clark ; also, not found in Eock county, but very plentiful at Bear lakes in Mur- 

 ray county, Upham ; extending north to Basswood lake on the international boundary, 

 WinclxcU. 



\ The northern limit of this species is found just south of Thunder bay, from which 

 it nearly follows the international boundary to the lake of the Woods. It extends 

 farther north in Manitoba, nearly to lake Winnipeg, and northwest to Fort Ellice. 

 Br. Rohcrt Bell] 



(The leaves of this and many other species of trees, in their first few years of growth 

 from the seed, are often remarkably large. The following measurements were made 

 in Todd county, September 16th : leaf of basswood, blade, l4'/4 inches long and 12 inches 

 wide, borne on a petiole 3 inches long ; of large-toothed aspen, blade, 10 by7'/2, and peti- 

 ole, 4 inches ; of balsam poplar, blade, 11 by 7, and petiole, 2 inches ; and of elm, blade, 

 9 by C inches, with petiole only a half inch long.) 



" Basswood lumber is much used in cabinet work for boxes, shelves, etc., whenever 

 a wood is desired which is soft and easily worked, and, at the same time, tough and 

 not liable to split." It decays more quickly than most kinds of lumber, when exposed 

 to the weather, unless it is thoroughly painted ; but is sufficiently durable, if kept dry. 



LINACEiE. Flax Family. 



I.IXUM, L. Flax. 



Li. iitereiiiie, L.* Wild Flax. Prairie Flax. 



At Pembina, and thence westward, Chickering; Stearns county, Mrs. Blaisdell. 

 West. 



Li sulcatum, Riddell. Wild Flax, 



Common from Minneapolis, Roberts, southward, and westward to the Red river 



valley, Upham-^ Pipestone quarry, Mrs. Bennett. 



Li. rig^idum, Purshf Wild Flax. 



From Winona county, Wincliell, Minneapolis, Twining, and Anoka county, Juni, 

 westward to Pipestone county, Leiberg, and the Red river valley (common in Clay 

 county), Upham. South and west. 



* LixuM PERENNE, L. Perennial, glabrous; leaves scattered, linear, acute; flowers 

 nearly opposite the leaves and terminal ; peduncles becoming elongated and nodding 

 in fruit : sepals oval with membranous margins, shorter than the globose capsule ; 

 petals free, blue, retuse, 3 to 4 times exceeding the calyx ; styles 5 ; capsule 5-celled, 

 with bearded dissepiments. Stems i/o to 3 feet high ; flowers large. May to September, 

 Watson's Rep. in King's E.vpl. of the Fortieth Parallel. 



tLiNUM KiGiDUM, Pursh. Dwarf ; glaucous ; styles united almost to the top. 

 Gray's Manual.— Stems 5 to 15 inches high, angled, much branched ; branches strict, 

 ascending ; leaves alternate, linear, pungently acute, rigid, with scabrous margins ; 

 flowers panicled or corymbose ; pedicels thickened at the end, and forming an exterior 

 cup-shaped calyculus ; sepals ovate-lanceolate, cuspidate, strongly 3-nerved, glandular 

 spinulose-scabrous on the margins, longer than the globose capsule ; petals sulphur- 

 yellow. Porter and Coulter's Flora of Colorado. 



