92 TILIACEifl. 



Fruit nut-like, woody-coriaceous, globular or ovoid, some- 

 times five-ribbed, indehiscent, one-celled by the obliteration 

 of the dissepiments, one -two-seeded. Seed obovate, semi- 

 anatropous, ascending ; the testa cartilaginous. Embryo in 

 the axis of dense fleshy albumen, large : cotyledons folia- 

 ceous, reniform or cordate, palmately five-veined and five- 

 lobed, somewhat plaited in the middle, revolute in the direc- 

 tion contrary to the hilum : radicle nearly straight, inferior. 



Trees, with the alternate and two-ranked ample leaves 

 usually obliquely cordate or truncate at the base, petioled, 

 acuminate, serrate, and with membranaceous caducous stip- 

 ules. Peduncles axillary, connate to the middle with the 

 axis of a large membranaceous and somewhat colored veiny 

 ligulate bract, ebracteolate, terminated by a cyme of few or 

 many yellowish or whitish flowers. 



Etymology. The classical Latin name of the genus. 



Geographical Distribution, &c. The known Lindens, about a dozen 

 in number, and not very distinctly characterized, are about equally divided 

 between the temperate region of the Old World (Europe and Northwestern 

 Asia) and Eastern North America. Being timber-trees, they are restricted 

 to our forest-region, and it seems do not again appear on the Western side 

 of our continent. One is known from the elevated parts of Mexico. The 

 American species all have the stamens in five clusters around as many petal- 

 like organs ; while the European, except one Hungarian species, are desti- 

 tute of this organ, and their stamens are distinct or obscurely pentadelphous. 



PLATE 136. TiLiA Ameriana, Linn. ; — a branch in flower. 



1. Diagram, from a cross section of a flower-bud. (Petals imbricated.) 



2. A stamen-cluster, with the petaloid staminodium, enlarged ; inside view. 



3. Inside, and 4. outside view of a stamen, more magnified. 



5. Pistil enlarged, on its hypogynous torus or receptacle. 



6. Vertical section of the ovary of the same, showing the ovules of two cells. 



7. An ovule, detached and more magnified. 



8. Fruit, with a part of the bract, of the natural size. 



9. Transverse section of a fruit and its contained seed, enlarged. 



10. A magnified seed. 



11. Vertical section of the same through the embryo. 



12. Embryo detached entire, the cotyledons partly spread, more magnified. 



