What is Tilia?
{{italictitle}} {{Taxobox | name = ''Tilia'' | image = Sommerlinde (Tilia platyphyllos).jpg | image_width = 240px | image_caption = ''Tilia platyphyllos'' | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Malvales]] | familia = [[Malvaceae]] | genus = '''''Tilia''''' | genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] }} '''''Tilia''''' is a [[genus]] of about 30 [[species]] of [[tree]]s in the [[Northern Hemisphere]], in [[Asia]] (where the greatest species diversity is found), [[Europe]] and eastern [[North America]]; it is absent from western North America. [[Image:Lisc lipy.jpg|thumb|left|''Tilia'' leaf]] The trees are generally called '''linden''' in North America, and '''lime''' in Britain. Both names are from the [[Germanic languages|Germanic]] root ''lind''. The modern forms in [[English language|English]] went from ''linde'' or ''linne'' in [[Anglo Saxon]] and [[old Norse]], and in [[Britain]] the word transformed more recently to the modern British form ''lime''. In the [[United States]], the modern [[German language|German]] name ''Linde'', from the same root, became more common, partly to avoid confusion with any other uses of the name. ''Tilia'' species are large [[deciduous]] trees, reaching typically between 20m and 40m tall, some species grow as [[shrub]]s. Plants of this genus are found through the north temperate regions. ==History== The Germanic tribes associated the Linden tree with the goddess [[Freya]]. Very often, these tribes held their assemblies, called [[Thing (assembly)|Thing]] near or under such a tree. Often, trees that were standing alone somewhere were chosen. These assemblies were used to make laws. They usually lasted three days. ==Species== [[File:Tilia mongolica0.jpg|thumb|''[[Tilia mongolica]]'']] [[File:Avenue of lime trees at Turville Heath - geograph.org.uk - 39077.jpg|thumb|Avenue of lime trees]] [[File:Furnaux AR1aJPG.jpg|thumb|''[[Tilia platyphyllos]]'']] * ''[[Tilia americana]]'' * ''[[Tilia amurensis]]'' * ''[[Ti