72 



TREES OF THE NORTHERN UNITED STATES 



StercMia platanifolia, L. (CHINESE PARASOL.) Leaves large, 

 deciduous, alternate, palmately 3- to 5-lobed, deeply heart-shaped at 

 base, the margin entire, the lobes acute; smooth or slightly hairy; 

 leafstalk about as long as the blade. Flowers green, in axillary 

 panicles ; fruit star-shaped. A small, beautiful tree from China ; 

 probably not hardy north of Washington. 



ORDER VIII. TILJACE-ZE. (LINDEN FAMILY.) 



An order, mainly of trees, abundant in the tropics; 

 here represented by a single genus : 



GENUS 11. TfLIA. 



Trees with alternate, deciduous, obliquely heart-shaped, 

 serrate leaves, about as broad as long. Leaves two-ranked 

 on the stem. Flowers small, cream-colored, fragrant, in 

 clusters on a peculiar, oblong, leaf -like bract. Fruit small 

 ($ in.), globular, woody, in clusters from the same bract. 

 Wood white and soft ; inner bark very fibrous and tough. 



* Flowers with petal-like scales among the stamens ; American 



species. (A.) 



A. Leaves very large, 6 to 8 in 3. 



A. Leaves medium, 4 to 6 in 1. 



A. Leaves small, 2 to 3 in 2. 



* Flowers with no petal-like scales among the stamens 4. 



1. Tilia Americana, L. (BASSWOOD. 

 WHITEWOOD. LINDEN.) Leaves large, 

 4 to 6 in. long, green and smooth, or very 

 nearly so, thickish. Fruit ovoid, some- 

 what ribbed, % in. broad, greenish when 

 ripe in October, on a bract which is usu- 

 ally tapering to the 

 base. Tall tree, 60 

 to 80 ft. high, wild in 

 rich woods and often 

 ^( cultivated. 



T. AniericAua. V 



2. Tilia pub6scens, Ait. (SMALL-LEAVED 

 BASSWOOD.) Leaves smaller, 2 to 3 in. long, 



