Tilia L.

1. Tilia L. 2

Deciduous trees with large, obtuse buds. Leaves distichous, petiolate, cordate or truncate at the base, serrate or denticulate. Stipules caducous. Flowers fragrant, yellowish or whitish, in cymes; peduncle adnate in its basal half to a large, membranous bract. Stamens up to 80, free or in 5 antepetalous fascicles; epipetalous staminodes sometimes present. Ovary 5-locular; stigma 5-lobed. Fruit a unilocular nut with 1-3 seeds.

All European species are interfertile, and natural hybrids are common, especially in S.E. & E.C. Europe. They have often been described as species, varieties or forms, and many of them are extensively planted in parks and gardens. The existence of these hybrids makes difficult the accurate delimitation of the geographical range of some of the species.

Literature: V. Engler, Monographie der Gattung Tilia . Breslau. 1909. J. Wagner, Mitt. Deutsch. Dendrol. Ges. 44: 316-345 (1932); 45: 5-60 (1933). J. Wagner, Mitt. Kgl. Ungar. Gartenb.-Lehranst. 7-10 (1940-44).

1 Leaves white-tomentose beneath with stellate hairs; stamin­

odes present 1. tomentosa

1 Leaves glabrous beneath, or pubescent with simple hairs;

staminodes absent 2 Fruit strongly ribbed 3 Style pubescent 2. dasystyla 3 Style glabrous 4 Leaves serrate, but without aristate teeth 3. platyphyllos 4 Leaves with acuminate-aristate teeth 4. rubra 2 Fruit smooth or slightly ribbed 5 Cymes obliquely erect; tertiary veins of leaves not prominent

5. cordata 5 Cymes pendent; tertiary veins of leaves prominent

6. x vulgaris