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Cordarta Tilia is a tree that grows wild in European forests of oak and beech .
also grown for shade and as an ornamental plant, especially in big avenues.
Its smooth gray and bark becomes darker and breaking
It is a deciduous tree that can reach up to 30m.
The leaves are simple, heart-shaped, toothed, alternate, petiolate with a pennad rib.
It has tufts of reddish hairs at the base of the nerves.
The inflorescence is composed by groups of 4-15 very fragrant flowers. These are actinomorphic and hermaphrodite
Flowers leave from pale bracts about 5 cm length. The flowering period is between June and July.
The flowers are greenish white and are composed of five sepals, five separated petals, numerous stamens and a superior ovary.
The fruit is a round achene, small about 6-8 mm in diameter and smooth.
The drug is the dried flowers and bracts infusion.
Also used the sapwood of bark.
The inflorescence contains: flavonides, mucilage, essential oils.
Its most popular medicinal use is as an infusion for sedative and insomnia treatment.
It is also used as antitussive, antispasmodic and treatment of respiratory pathologies.
Diaphoretic (beneficial for feverish), emollient, hypotensive, arteriosclerosis, diuretic, choleretic and cologoge.
Infusions to wash sores, ulcers, mouthwashes and gargles.
If the flowers used for making tea are too old, they may produce symptoms of narcotic intoxication.
Tilia cordata could be confused with Tilia platyphyllos. The last one has larger leaves with white hairs, achenes with 3-4 rows and covered with hair.
The two trees have the same pharmacological properties.