112 



Common Trees 



BASSWOOD 



Tilia americana, Linnaeus 



THE BASSWOOD is a tree of many names. Among them 

 are Linden, Lynn, Lime-tree, White-wood, Beetree, and 

 Whistle-wood. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, egg-shaped to round, 4 to 

 7 inches long, firm in texture, toothed along margin, unequally 

 heart-shaped at base, tufts 

 of rusty hair often occur 

 in axils of veins. 



The flowers appear in 

 June or July. They are 

 small, yellowish - white, 

 sweet, fragrant, 5 to 20 in 

 a cluster, attached to a 

 wing-like bract by a slen- 

 der stalk. 



The fruit is a woody, 

 nut-like berry about the 

 size of a pea. It usually 

 occurs in small clusters at- 

 tached to a wing-like bract 

 by slender stalks, often 

 persists far into winter. 



The bark on young 

 stems is smooth and dark- 

 gray, on older trunks it be- 

 comes thick and clearly 

 furrowed. 



The twigs are smooth, 

 shiny, rather stout, bright- 

 red. The buds are egg- 

 shaped, 2 - ranked, stout, 

 blunt-pointed, usually deep- red, with 3 visible bud-scales. 



The wood is light, soft, light-brown to nearly white. It 

 is used in the manufacture of paper pulp, crates, furniture, 

 kegs, pails, berry baskets. 



The Basswood is found from New Brunswick to Mani- 

 toba, southward to Georgia and Texas. It is common in 

 most sections of New York. In the Adirondacks it is found 

 up to 3,200 feet. Rich, moist bottom-lands and hillsides 

 are its favorite home. It reaches a height of 70 to 80 feet 

 and sprouts freely. 



Two species of European Basswood have been planted 

 extensively in New York. They are the Small-leaved Linden 

 and the Large-leaved Linden. 



BASSWOOD 



One-fourth natural size. 



Twig, one-half natural size. Flower, leaf-scar 



and twig section, enlarged. 



