Tilia cordata
Small-leaved lime
Tilia cordata, commonly known as the small-leaved lime, is a deciduous tree cherished for its fragrant, pale-yellow blossoms. Historically utilized in herbal medicine, its flowers are brewed into soothing teas to reduce anxiety, ease insomnia, and alleviate digestive discomfort, making it a cornerstone of traditional European botanical healing.
- Scientific name: Tilia cordata
- Family: Malvaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales, falling into the family Malvaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Tilia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Malvales | WCVP |
| Family | Malvaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Tilia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Tilia cordata, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Luxembourgish, it is called Wanterlann, while in several Chinese linguistic contexts, including Simplified Chinese (zh-hans, zh-cn), Traditional Chinese (zh-hant), and the Hong Kong dialect (zh-hk), it is commonly known as 小叶椴 or 小葉椴.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| lb | Wanterlann | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 小叶椴 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 小葉椴 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 小葉椴 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 小叶椴 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 小叶椴 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 小葉椴 | Wikidata |
| eu | Ezki hostotxiki | Wikidata |
| pl | lipa drobnolistna | Wikidata |
| udm | Векчи куаро беризь | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions within Northern Europe. In the southern part of this territory, it can be found growing in Denmark. Its range extends further north into the landscapes of Norway and Sweden. Additionally, the species is present throughout the vast forests of Finland. Finally, the geographical reach of this medicinal plant includes the islands of Great Britain.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, commonly known as the small-leaved lime, is primarily valued for its fragrant flowers and the specialized structures surrounding them. The individual flower is a small, yellowish, and nectar-rich component of the inflorescence, which serves to attract pollinators during the summer months. These flowers are nestled within a distinctive, leaf-like pale green bract, which is often referred to as part of the flower cluster in medicinal preparations. When harvested, both the flowers and their accompanying bracts are dried to create infusions used for their calming and soothing properties.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flowers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flower | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Tilia cordata has 24 reported phytochemicals identified across 26 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Cu, Fe, (epi)afzelechin, (epi)catechin, Ca.
- Total chemicals
- 24
- Scientific sources
- 26
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cu | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Fe | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (epi)afzelechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| (epi)catechin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Ca | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hg | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mg | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mn | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Pb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Zn | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Tilia cordata has 1 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihemolytic.
- Total activities
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antihemolytic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Tilia cordata has 3 reported medicinal uses identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include Alzheimer's disease, HHV-1, diabetes mellitus.
- Total uses
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 3
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's disease | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| HHV-1 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diabetes mellitus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |