menispermacejE. 26 liriodenj.ron. 



States. The tree is about 25 feet in hight, remarkable only for the beauty of 



its foliacre and flowers. The leaves are smooth and entire, of a regularly ellip- 

 tical form, remarkably pale beneath. Flowers terminal, white, solitary, of 3 

 sepals and several concave petals, appearing in July. White Bay. 



2. M. grandiflo'ra. 



This is the noblest species. Although inferior in size to the Tulip-tree, yet 

 no tree of the Americati forests can compare with the stateliness of its form 

 or the magnificence of its foliage and flowers Its ordinary stature is about 

 60, rarely 75 or 80 feet, with a diameter of 1 — 3 feet, The trunk is nearly 

 straight, covered with a greyish bark, bearing a pyramidal summit. Foliage 

 e.xceedingly rich and shining. Flowers white and fragrant, nearly a foot broad, 

 and often very numerous, presenting the most brilliant display of vegetable 

 luxuriance tliat can be imagined. It is common in the Southern States, but 

 not found farther north than Pennsylvania. Big-Laurel. Magnolia. 



3. M. acumina'ta. 



Leaves oval, acuminate, pubescent beneath ; petal sohoxaie, obtusish. Grows 

 near the falls of Niagara, but is more abundant in the S. States. It is a noble 

 forest tree, equal in size to the preceding. Trunk perfectly straight, bearing 

 an ample and regular summit. Leaves very acuminate. Flowers o — 6 inches 

 in diameter, bluish, sometimes yellowish white, numerous and finely contrasted 

 with the rich dark foliage. Cones of fruit about 3 inches long, cylindric, 

 bearing some resembla.nce to a small cucumber. May. Cucumber Tree. 



2. LIRIODE'iNDRON. 



Calyx o-loaved ; petals 6 ; seeds ending in a scale ; carpels 

 imbricated in a cone. 



Gr. Xiiptov, a lily, dii/a^ov, a tree. The flowers, which may be likened to' 

 lilies or tulips, grow upon one of the loftiest trees of the forest. 



1. L. tulipi'fera. 



Leaves truncate at the end, vi^ith 2 lateral lobes. The Tulip {ree,both in 

 respect to its size and beauty, is one of the most remarkable in the American 

 forests. It is found in the southern part of Ms. thence in the Atlantic States 

 to Carolina, but is especially abundant in the Western States. It is ordinarily 

 about 80 feet high, with a diameter of 2 or 3 feet ; but along the Ohio and Mis- 

 sissippi rivers trees of this kind have been not unfrequently found nnieli ex- 

 ceedinir 100 feet in bight, with a diameter of 4 — (J feet, inferior in dimensions 

 only to the Pine. The trunk is perfectly straiglit and cylindric, and the 

 branches disposed with much regularity. In June and July it puts forth 

 numerous large and brilliant flowers, variegated with different colors, among 

 which yellow predominates. They are solitary, terminal, fragrant. The foli- 

 ao-e is very luxuriant, dark green, smooth, on long petiole.^. The wood is 

 considered valuable for tarious kinds of lumber. Tulip Tree. 



ORDER V. MENISPERMACE^. The ■Moon-seed Tribe. 



JV5.— Di.-scious. . ... , . ... , . , 



Cjx/.—Sepals 3— 8, in a double series, 2 — l in each, imbricated in pcstivation, hypofr., tlccKi. 

 ;<,7n.— DisUnc.t or nionadelphouSj equal in number to the petals and oppo.site to them, or 3 

 Anth.—lnn-dlc and consisting of 4 globose lobe.s. (or 4 times as iitony. 



Oua.— Usually solitary, sometimes 2— 4.— Pruir,- a drupe, glcbose-renilorm. 



