CLASS POLYANDRIA. 121 



M. macrophylla of Lincoln, in North Carolina, are 

 said to be i 4 inches in diameter ; and the leaves, 

 disposed in clusters at the ends of the branches, 

 white beneath, and pale green above, attain sometimes 

 a length of 3 feet. The whole genus are trees or 

 shrubs peculiar to North America and China. Of the 

 Tulip tree there are 2 other species in India. The 

 most splendid tree in America is certainly the Mag- 

 nolia grandiflora, which extends from Charleston, in 

 South Carolina, to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. 

 Near Savannah, in Georgia, I have observed trees 

 with a smooth shaft of about 90 feet before sending 

 off any considerable branches ; the spreading top is 

 clothed with deep green, oblong-oval leaves, like a 

 Laurel ; these are, at most seasons, enlivened either 

 by large and fragrant flowers, or cones, decorated, as 

 it were, with pendulous scarlet seeds. Our most 

 common species, in every dark, swampy forest near 

 the sea-coast, is the J\'l. glauca, or Swamp Sassafras, 

 which extends from the sea islands of Massachusetts 

 bay to East Florida. This species forms a low tree 

 or shrub, with brittle, white, smooth branches, and 

 oblong, laurel-like, but deciduous leaves, whitened or 

 glaucous beneath ; from the bosom of these arise 

 numerous cream-colored, extremely fragrant, cup- 

 shaped flowers, which continue longer in succession 

 than in any other species. The J\fl. acuminata, a 

 large tree of the western states, and the back parts of 

 Pennsylvania, bears inconspicuous, yellowish green 

 flowers ; and the M. tripetcda of Virginia, or Um- 

 brella tree, is remarkable for the length of its leaves, 

 tufted, so as to spread out at the extremities of the 

 branches like an umbrella ; this bears also large, 

 showy, white flowers, very strongly and pleasantly 

 fragrant at a certain distance. The M. cordata, little 

 more than a variety of M. acuminata, is remarkable 

 for its abundance of fine, yellow flowers. 

 11 



