50. 



MAGNOLIA PURPUREA. 



Purple Magnolia. 



POLYANDRIA. PoLYGYNIA. 



Class 13. Order 7. 



Linn. gen. n. 690. inild. Sp. PL p. 1257. Bot. Mag. 390. 



GENERIC CIIARACTEU. 



Vide PI. 9. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Huwcrs six-petalled, the exterior of the petals purple. 



Branches long and somewhat pliant ; the bark of the young 

 shoots smooth, shining, of a bright green, and witli small 

 white spots. The flowers at the extremity of the young shoots, 

 solitary; petals six, ovate, concave, narrowing towards the 

 base, the exterior of which are of a lively purple, the interior 

 white. Calyx of two or three dark brown concave leaflets, 

 which are deciduous. Leaves ovate, entire, of a bright 

 «rreen, and much veined. Stamens and pistils seated upon 

 a conical receptacle, which afterwards supports the pericarp 

 composed of numerous cells placed in an imbricated form, 

 each of which contains one or two small ovate or roundish 

 seeds. 



