Til K AMERICAN BOTANIST 47 



they .show a lciulcnc\- toward the iiioiidcotylcclon nuiuber of 

 three. By many this is taken as evidence of the relationship 

 of llie inapioHas to the nK.nocotyledons and to in(hcatc that 

 the hitler ,i!:rou[) may liave taken its origin from tliis section 

 of the [)hint world. In fact, the water-lilies, which have sim- 

 ilar characteristics, are often considered true monocotyledons. 



The ripened o\aries of the magnolias cling together in 

 oblong masses mucli like cones in appe.-i ranee and again sug- 

 gest a relation>hip Uy the \nuc>. To others the fruits have 

 suggested young cucumbers and several species arc called cu- 

 cumber trees on this account. The carpels at maturity open 

 and disclose one or two seeds covered with brilliant scarlet 

 arils, much like the fruits of the bittersweet (Celastriis). Un- 

 like the bittersweet, however, the seeds when they leave the 

 carpels, do n(jt immediately fall to the ground, but hang for 

 some days suspended by short silken threads which appear 

 to be a part of the seed-stalk. Thus embellished the cones of 

 fruit take on a new beauty. 



The illustration for our frontispiece was made from a 

 photograph of a flower of Magnolia yrandiflora taken in Flor- 

 ida by Mr. Walter M. Piuswell, of Fort Myers and kindly 

 loaned for the purpose. 



