Tilia americana L.
Detail
- Family
- Malvaceae
- Botanical Name
- Tilia americana L.
- Common Name
- Basswood
- Synonym(s)
- Flora of Virginia Name/Status
- Tilia americana L. var americana + T. americana L. var. heterophylla (Vent.) Loud.
- Comments
- The distinction between varieties is often problematic in Virginia, due to the prevalence of trees and populations with intermediate characters. However, "good" var. heterophylla seems to have some association with strongly calcareous soils, as well as the southwestern part of the state. The current map includes records for both vars. and a host of intergradational forms.
- Habitat
- In the mountains and Piedmont, all vars. occur in rich cove forests, rocky dry-mesic forests on mafic or calcareous rocks, and basic or calcareous boulderfield forests. Somewhat isolated populations in the Coastal Plain are usually associated with sheltered ravines or bluffs downcut into calcareous shell deposits. Var. americana is common in the nw. mountains and frequent along rivers of the n. and c. Piedmont; infrequent in the wc. and sw. mountains and Piedmont; rare in the inner Coastal Plain. Var. heterophylla is common in the sw. and wc. mountains; frequent in the nw. mountains; infrequent in the s. Piedmont; rare in the inner Coastal Plain. Intergradational populations occur throughout the state range.
- Native Status
- Native
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