American basswood

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• American basswood
• American linden
• basswood
• white basswood
• whitewood
• American Lime

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Tilia nigra var. macrophylla
• Tilia glabra var. macrophylla
• Tilia longifolia var. dentata
• Tilia glabra f. dentata
• Tilia leucocarpa var. oblongifolia
• Tilia nigra var. laxiflora
• Tilia pubescens var. leptophylla
• Tilia eburnea var. lasioclada
• Tilia opposita
• Tilia americana var. floridana
• Tilia americana subsp. floridana
• Tilia australis
• Tilia crenoserrata
• Tilia glabra
• Tilia ashei
• Tilia heterophylla
• Tilia excellens
• Tilia floridana
• Tilia eburnea
• Tilia alabamensis
• Tilia porracea
• Tilia stenopetala
• Tilia relicta
• Tilia texana
• Tilia venulosa
• Tilia truncata
• Tilia longifolia
• Tilia littoralis
• Tilia leptophylla
• Tilia laxiflora
• Tilia latifolia
• Tilia hypoleuca
• Tilia incisodentata
• Tilia lata
• Tilia palmeri
• Tilia lasioclada
• Tilia pallida
• Tilia pertomentosa
• Tilia phanera
• Tilia nuda
• Tilia nigra
• Tilia michauxii
• Tilia monticola
• Tilia mississippensis
• Tilia floridana var. alabamensis
• Tilia caroliniana var. floridana
• Tilia caroliniana var. rhoophila
• Tilia crenoserrata var. acuminata
• Tilia floridana var. hypoleuca
• Tilia floridana var. oblongifolia
• Tilia georgiana var. crinita
• Tilia glabra var. neglecta
• Tilia heterophylla var. amphiloba
• Tilia caroliniana var. vagans
• Tilia americana f. microphylla
• Tilia americana f. divaricata
• Tilia americana var. heterophylla
• Tilia americana f. laxiflora
• Tilia americana var. scabra
• Tilia americana f. megalodonta
• Tilia americana f. rosenthalii
• Tilia americana var. mississippensis
• Tilia americana f. moltkei
• Tilia americana var. neglecta
• Tilia americana f. pedunculata
• Tilia americana f. macrophylla
• Tilia alabamensis var. oblongifolia
• Tilia pubescens f. truncata
• Tilia pubescens f. glabrata
• Tilia pubescens var. aitonii
• Tilia nuda var. glaucescens
• Tilia phanera var. scabrida
• Tilia leucocarpa var. glaucescens
• Tilia leucocarpa
• Tilia leucocarpa f. attenuata
• Tilia leucocarpa var. brevipedunculata
• Tilia leucocarpa var. cocksii
• Tilia heterophylla var. microdonta
• Tilia heterophylla var. michauxii
• Tilia floridana var. australis
• Tilia glabra f. fastigiata
• Tilia americana var. caroliniana
• Tilia americana var. rosenthalii
• Tilia caroliniana subsp. floridana
• Tilia americana subsp. heterophylla
• Tilia americana var. laxiflora
• Tilia caroliniana subsp. heterophylla
• Tilia neglecta
• Tilia americana subsp. caroliniana
• Tilia georgiana
• Tilia americana f. fastigiata
• Tilia americana f. dentata
• Tilia heterophylla var. tenera
• Tilia viridis subsp. moltkei
• Tilia stellata
• Tilia texana var. grosseserrata
• Tilia pubescens f. heteromorpha
• Tilia pubescens var. ventenatii
• Tilia tenera
• Tilia venulosa var. multinervis
• Tilia pubescens f. gymnophila
• Tilia littoralis var. discolor
• Tilia nuda var. brevipedunculata
• Tilia americana var. densiflora
• Tilia americana f. ampelophylla
• Tilia americana f. cyclophylla
• Tilia americana subf. euryptera
• Tilia americana var. vestita
• Tilia americana var. walteri
• Tilia apposita
• Tilia caroliniana var. lata
• Tilia americana f. grandifolia
• Tilia americana subf. lepidoptera
• Tilia americana f. microptera
• Tilia heterophylla var. nivea
• Tilia cocksii
• Tilia canadensis
• Tilia caroliniana

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae, it is classified under the genus Tilia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Tilia americana, exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning several continents. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Germany. Its range extends across Central Asia, specifically documented in Uzbekistan. Within North America, the species is widely distributed across Western Canada in provinces such as Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Additionally, its presence reaches the eastern part of the continent in New Brunswick.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Tilia americana is characterized by its classification as a perennial, meaning it lives for many years, establishing a long-term presence in its ecosystem. As a phanerophyte, its regenerative buds are located high above the ground on woody stems, a structural adaptation that allows it to thrive as a substantial tree. This phanerophyte life form is consistent across its developmental stages, ensuring that its vital growing points remain protected and elevated, facilitating its continued growth and survival through successive growing seasons.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tilia americana is characterized by its robust growth form as a large, woody tree. It is a self-supporting species that reaches an average height of approximately 25.5275 meters, exhibiting a sturdy and independent structural habit. As a terrestrial organism, it does not function as an epiphyte or an aquatic plant, nor does it require a host, growing as an independent specimen. Its structural integrity is defined by its woody nature, which supports its significant stature and tree-like architecture.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

25.5275 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tilia americana is characterized by a complex metabolic framework optimized for temperate forest environments, most notably through its utilization of the C3 photosynthetic pathway. This C3 pathway involves the direct fixation of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle, a process that is highly efficient under the moderate temperatures and consistent moisture levels typically found in its natural habitat. To support this carbon fixation, the plant maintains a robust vascular system capable of transporting water and dissolved minerals from the root network to the expansive canopy via xylem vessels, while simultaneously distributing photosynthates through the phloem. The physiological regulation of transpiration is managed through specialized stomatal complexes on the leaf surfaces, which balance the necessity of gas exchange for photosynthesis against the risk of excessive water loss. Furthermore, the plant's seasonal physiological shifts include the mobilization of stored carbohydrates in woody tissues to support bud development and the eventual senescence of foliage, which is driven by photoperiodic and temperature-induced hormonal changes.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tilia americana is characterized by a diverse range of dispersal mechanisms and specific seed morphologies. The plant employs a complex dispersal syndrome that includes anemochorous, zoochorous, autochorous, hydrochorous, and unspecialized methods, allowing its offspring to spread through wind, animals, self-movement, water, and generalist vectors. The resulting seeds exhibit significant variation in size and weight; they possess a minimum seed mass of 0.0395 g and a maximum seed mass of 0.3338 g. On average, the seed mass is approximately 0.099298125 g, reflecting the biological investment and physical characteristics necessary for its various modes of propagation.

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Seed mass max:

0.3338 g

Seed mass mean:

0.099298125 g

Seed mass min:

0.0395 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tilia americana has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf.

Leaf

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Chemicals

Tilia americana has 5 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoid, Tiliroside, caffeic acid, quercetin glucoside, quercitrin.

Flavonoid

1. Neurochemical research

Tiliroside

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

caffeic acid

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

quercetin glucoside

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

quercitrin

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR

Activities

Tilia americana has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anxiolytic.

Anxiolytic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Tilia americana has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiety, insomnia, stroke.

Anxiety

1. Metabolites

Insomnia

1. Metabolites

Stroke

1. Neurochemical research

Preparations

Tilia americana has 5 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include F1C, aqueous Tilia extract, aqueous extracts, organic extracts, tiliroside.

F1c

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Aqueous tilia extract

1. Metabolites

Aqueous extracts

1. Neurochemical research

Organic extracts

1. Neurochemical research

Tiliroside

1. Iranian journal of pharmaceutical research : IJPR