TILIACEZ—LINDEN FAMILY 
LINDEN. BASSWOOD. LIME-TREE 
Tilia americana. 
Tilia is the ancient classical name retained by Linneus. Bass- 
wood alludes to the use of the inner bark for mats and cordage. 
A native of rich woods in the northern states and Canada, reaches 
its greatest size in the valley of the lower Ohio, becoming one hun- 
dred and thirty feet in height, but its usual height is about seventy 
feet. The trunk is erect, pillar-like, the branches spreading, often 
pendulous, forming a broad rounded head. Roots large, deep, and 
spreading. Juices mucilaginous. 
Bark.—Light brown, furrowed, surface scaly. Branchlets terete, 
smooth, light gray, faintly tinged with red, finally dark brown or 
brownish gray, marked with dark wart-like excrescences. Inner 
bark very tough and fibrous. 
IVood.—Pale brown, sometimes nearly white or faintly tinged with 
red; light, soft with fine close grain; clear of knots but does not 
split easily. It is sold generally under the name of basswood, but 
is sometimes confounded with tulip-wood and then called white- 
wood, and is largely used in the manufacture of wooden-ware, wagon 
boxes and furniture. Sp. gr.,0.4525 ; weight of cu. ft., 28.20 lbs. 
Winter Buds.—Dark red, stout, ovate, acute, smooth. 
Leaves.—Alternate, simple, feather - veined, obliquely heart- 
shaped, the side nearest the branch the largest, five to six inches 
long, three to four inches broad, unequally cordate at base, serrate, 
acuminate at apex; midrib and primary veins conspicuous. They 
come out of the bud conduplicate, pale green, downy; when full 
grown are dark green, smooth, shining above, paler beneath, with 
tufts of rusty brown hairs in the axils of the primary veins. In 
autumn they turn a clear pale yellow. Petioles long, slender. Stipules 
caducous. 
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