MAGNOLIACEAE 



Yellow-poplar. Tuliptree 

 Liriodendron tulipifera L. 



HABIT. A large, handsome tree 80-100 feet high and 4-6 

 feet in diameter (max. 198 by 12 feet); clear straight bole; 

 open, oblong or conical crown with small branches. 



LEAVES. Simple; alternate; deciduous; suborbicular; 4—6 

 inches long; characteristically 4-lobed resembling a tulip in 

 outline; lobes entire margined; truncate at base and truncate 

 or notched at apex; glabrous; lustrous dark green above, paler 

 below; petioles slender, 5-6 inches long; stipules large, con- 

 spicuous. 



FLOWERS. Perfect; appearing after the leaves; yellow- 

 green; cup-shaped; I|/^-2 inches long; 3 sepals; 6 petals in 2 

 rows; stamens and pistils numerous and spirally arranged around 

 a central axis. 



FRUIT. A large (2^/4^3 inches long) erect, conelike aggre- 

 gate of spirally arranged samaras; each samara XVz inches 

 long, 4-angled, terminally winged, deciduous from the slender, 

 more or less persistent, central axis. 



TWIGS. Rather stout; lustrous red-brown; bitter; pith 

 round, diaphragmed. Winter buds: terminal present, about Yi 

 inch long, flattened, dark red, with valvate stipular scales only 

 2 outer scales being visible, the entire bud resembling a duck's 

 bill. 



BARK. Smooth and dark green on young stems; becoming 

 thick, ash-gray, furrowed, and with rough, rounded ridges; 

 inner bark bitter. 



WOOD. Highly important and a valuable hardwood species; 

 rather light and soft; light yellow to dark brown heartwood; 

 easily worked; used for plywood, furniture, interior finish, 

 and construction work. 



SILVICAL CHARACTERS. Very intolerant; fast growing; 

 reaching maturity at 200-250 years; deep, wide-spreading roots; 

 in mixture with other hardwoods; typical of moist forest sites. 



GENERAL. Only 2 species of this genus are now in exist- 

 ence, one a native of central China, Liriodendron chinense Sarg. 

 The native species attains the greatest height of any of our 

 broadleaf species and perhaps the greatest diameter. 



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