Showing Food Small-leaf linden

General Information

Name

Small-leaf linden

Scientific Name

Tilia cordata

Description

Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime, occasionally Small-leaved Linden or Little-leaf Linden) is a species of Tilia native to much of Europe and western Asia, north to southern Great Britain (north to about Durham), central Scandinavia, all over Romania, east to central Russia, and south to central Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Caucasus; in the south of its range it is restricted to high altitudes. It is a deciduous tree growing to 20-38 m tall, with a trunk up to 1-2 m diameter. The leaves are alternately arranged, rounded to triangular-ovate, 3-8 cm long and broad, mostly hairless (unlike the related Tilia platyphyllos) except for small tufts of brown hair in the leaf vein axils - the leaves are distinctively heart-shaped. The small yellow-green hermaphrodite flowers are produced in clusters of five to eleven in early summer with a leafy yellow-green subtending bract, have a rich, heavy scent; the trees are much visited by bees. The fruit is a dry nut-like drupe 6–7 mm long and 4 mm broad, downy at first becoming smooth at maturity, and (unlike T. platyphyllos) not ribbed. The Linden honey is considered to be valuable in both nutricional and medical aspects. It readily hybridises with Tilia platyphyllos; the hybrid is named Tilia × europaea (syn. T. × vulgaris). In Britain, it is considered an indicator of ancient woodland, and is becoming increasingly rare.

Primary ID

FOOD00185

Picture