In Indiana this species is commonly called linn, and only in a few
counties near the Michigan line is it known as basswood. The name
basswood is a corruption of the name bastwood, meaning the inner tough
and fibrous part of the bark, which was used by pioneers for tying
shocks of corn, and other cordage purposes. However, Dr. Schneck gives
the name whittle-wood as one of its common names; and in some localities
it is called bee tree, because bees find its flowers rich in honey.
Linn is adapted to a rich moist soil, transplants fairly well, and grows
rapidly. It has been used to some extent as an ornamental and shade
tree, but its use as a street shade tree is no longer recommended
because it is not adapted to city conditions, and is killed by the
scale. It could, however, be recommended as an integral part of a
windbreak, or woodlot where the land owner has an apiary.
=2. Tilia heterophylla= Ventenat. Linn. White Basswood. Plate 119.
Usually large trees; bark similar to the preceding but lighter in color;
twigs similar to the preceding species; leaves on petioles 2-8 cm. long,
blades ovate to nearly orbicular, generally 7-15 cm. long, generally
oblique at the base, oblique-truncate or cordate at the base, abruptly
short or long acuminate at the apex, margins serrate with teeth
attenuate and ending in a gland, at maturity smooth and a dark
yellow-green above, the under surface generally densely covered with a
silvery or gray tomentum, however, on some specimens the pubescence is
thin and appears as a stellate pubescence, the tufts of hairs in the
principal axils of the veins are reddish brown, in addition to the
pubescence reddish glands are often found on the veins beneath; flowers
appear in June or July when the leaves are almost mature; bracts very
variable. 4-15 cm. long, generally on short peduncles, rounded or
wedge-shape at the base, generally rounded at the apex, sometimes merely
obtuse, glabrous both above and below, or more or less densely pubescent
beneath and generally sparingly pubescent above; pedicels of flowers
variable in length, usually about 1 cm. long; styles of flowers
pubescent at the base; fruit globose or somewhat ellipsoidal generally
6-8 mm. in diameter.
=Distribution.=--This species as understood by Sargent ranges from West
Virginia to Indiana and south to Florida and west to Alabama. In Indiana
it is confined to counties near the Ohio River. Specimens are in the
writer's herbarium from Dearborn, Ripley, Switzerland, Jefferson, Clark,
Harrison, Crawford, Perry, southeastern Dubois and east Spencer
Counties. Practically in all of its range in Indiana it is found on the
tops of high bluffs along streams or on the slopes of deep ravines. It
is an infrequent to a common tree where found. In general in the
counties just mentioned it supplants the other species of _Tilia_. It
was reported from Wayne County by Phinney, and Schneck says a single
tree was found near the mouth of White River. The last named tree may be
_Tilia neglecta_ which is said to be found just west in Illinois.
[Illustration: Plate 119.