Tilia argentea

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• silver linden
• white linden
• Silver Lime
• Hungarian silver linden

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Tilia pseudolongirostris
• Tilia pannonica
• Tilia petiolaris
• Tilia peduncularis
• Tilia argentea f. subglobularis
• Tilia argentea
• Tilia alba
• Tilia alba var. petiolaris
• Tilia tomentosa var. obliqua
• Tilia tomentosa var. pannonica
• Tilia tomentosa var. inaequalis
• Tilia tomentosa f. pendula
• Tilia communis var. argentea
• Tilia gigantea
• Tilia rotundifolia
• Lindnera alba

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. It is further categorized under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Malvales, falling within the family Malvaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Tilia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad distribution across several regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found specifically within Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is well-established in Germany and Austria. Its presence continues through the central territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Finally, the geographical range of this medicinal plant extends into Hungary.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tilia tomebosa is fundamentally defined by its preference for forest ecosystems, where it plays a significant role in the structural complexity of the woodland. Within these forest habitats, the species typically thrives in well-drained, fertile soils, often occupying the mid-to-upper canopy layers where it can access sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis while benefiting from the buffered microclimate provided by the surrounding vegetation. Its distribution is closely tied to the moisture availability and shade patterns inherent to forest environments, allowing it to integrate into diverse woodland communities. The presence of this species contributes to the forest's biodiversity, offering specialized niches for various insect pollinators and supporting the local trophic web through its leaf litter and flowering cycles.

Habitat :

forest

Life history

The life history of Tilia tomentoosa is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to maintain a long-term presence within its ecosystem through multiple growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, its reproductive buds are elevated well above the ground level, typically situated on woody branches, which is a defining structural trait of its life form. This phanerophytic growth habit ensures that the plant can withstand seasonal environmental changes while maintaining its height and canopy structure over its extended lifespan.

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tilia tomenta is characterized by its growth form as a woody tree. It functions as a self-supporting organism that is independent rather than parasitic, and it is classified as a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic or epiphytic one. The plant exhibits significant vertical development, with its height ranging from a minimum of 20 meters to a maximum of 40 meters, maintaining an average height of approximately 30 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

tree

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

40 m

Plant height mean:

30 m

Plant height min:

20 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tilia tomenta is characterized by its metabolic efficiency and specific adaptations to temperate environments, most notably through its utilization of a C3 photosynthetic pathway. In this process, the plant captures atmospheric carbon dioxide and fixes it directly into a three-carbon compound via the enzyme RuBisCO during the Calvin cycle, a mechanism that is highly effective under the moderate temperatures and sufficient moisture levels typical of its natural habitat. This C3 pathway dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and gas exchange dynamics, influencing its transpiration rates and overall carbon assimilation. Furthermore, its physiological processes are closely tied to seasonal rhythms, where metabolic activity fluctuates in response to photoperiod and temperature changes, driving the growth of its woody tissues and the production of secondary metabolites.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Tilia tomentoosa is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering period and distinct seed characteristics. The flowering process is concentrated in the month of July, with both the onset and the conclusion of the blooming period occurring within this timeframe. Following pollination, the plant produces seeds that exhibit a relatively consistent mass; the mean seed mass is recorded at 0.09649 g, with individual seeds ranging from a minimum of 0.08696 g to a maximum of 0.125 g. In terms of its reproductive strategy for spreading offspring, the species utilizes an anemochorous dispersal syndrome, relying on wind currents to transport its seeds away from the parent plant.

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jul

Seed mass max:

0.125 g

Seed mass mean:

0.09649 g

Seed mass min:

0.08696 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tilia tomentosa has 1 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower.

Flower

1. Natural product research
2. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Tilia tomentosa has 18 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include kaempferol, CHROMIUM, Flavonoid, Ka, Kaempferol 3-O-glucoside.

kaempferol

1. Natural product research
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

CHROMIUM

1. Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes

Flavonoid

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Ka

1. Natural product research

Kaempferol 3-O-glucoside

1. Natural product research

LEAD

1. Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes

MANGANESE

1. Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes

Maslinic acid

1. Natural product research

OLEANOLIC ACID

1. Natural product research

Quercetin 3-O-glucoside

1. Natural product research

Activities

Tilia tomentosa has 1 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Anxiolytic.

Anxiolytic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Tilia tomentosa has 2 reported investigations on conditions identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include anxiolytic, sedative.

Anxiolytic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Sedative

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Preparations

Tilia tomentosa has 1 reported preparations identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include infusion of their inflorescences.

Infusion of their inflorescences

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology