_ FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 169 
fewer, rarely entirely absent; stamens numerous, united in several sets; 
ovary 2-10-celled, becoming a berry a drupe or a capsule in fruit. The 
Linden family is represented in our region almost exclusively by the 
‘linden proper (Tilia), of which there are several species in America and 
Europe. The tree may always be recognized, when in bloom, by the 
fragrant clusters of white flowers, the peduncles of which are partly 
coherent with, in fact seeming to spring from, a broad membranous 
bract. At other seasons the broad, cordate leaves are characteristic. 
Fig. 149. Flowers, section of fruit, column of stamens, and seeds of the swamp rose mallow 
(Hiblscus moscheutos). After Dodge, Report No. 9, U.S. Dep’t of Agric. 
Lindens or basswoods are not only useful as shade trees, but they yield 
wood of fine quality, and the flowers provide a favorite food for bees. 
The inner bark is tough and fibrous, and in Russia forms an extensive 
article of commerce under the name of Russia matting, being used for 
tying, packing, etc. But it is the genus Corchorus that is of the most 
value in this respect, for several species of the latter yield jute, one of 
the most valuable of our fibers. One of the jute plants, an East Indian 
species (C. olitorius) is shown in Fig. 145. All the members of this 
genus are herbs. Grewia and Trium/fetia are other types of the Linden 
