NAT. ORDER. MAGNOLIACEiE. 113 



States, usually growing in swamps and morasses ; and is seldom 

 met with in the interior of the country, west of the mountains. It 

 begins to flower in May, June or July, according to the latitude ;" 

 and if we credit the writings of some of the authors, in their de- 

 scriptions of this iTiost magnificent tree, we cannot but consider it 

 as one of the most lovely shade trees that inhabit our country. 

 Wood & Bache, in their description of this tree, say : " The med- 

 icinal properties which have rendered the bark of the Magnolia 

 officinal, are common to most, if not all of the species composing 

 this splendid genus. Among the numerous trees which adorn the 

 American landscape, these are most conspicuous for the beautiful 

 richness of their foliage, and the magnificence, as well as delicious 

 odor of their flowers ; and the Mag7iolia grandijiora of the South- 

 ern States rivals in magnitude the largest inhabitants of our for- 

 ests." The focus of this order is undoubtedly North American, 

 where the woods, the swamps, and the sides of the hills abound 

 with them. Thence they straggle on the one hand into the West 

 India Islands, and on the other into India, through China and Ja- 

 pan. Mr. Brown remarks, while at Congo, that no species have 

 been found on the continent of Africa, or in any of the adjoining 

 islands. Twenty-eight species are all that M. Decandolle enu- 

 merates. It derived its name in honor of Professor Magnol, of 

 Montpelier, the author of several botanical works. 



Medical Properties and Uses. The general character of all 

 the plants pertaining to this order, is, to have a bitter, tonic taste, 

 and fragrant flowers. The latter produce a decided action upon 

 the nerves, which, according to Decandolle, induces sickness and 

 headache from Magnolia tripetala ; and, on the authority of Bar- 

 ton, is so stimulating on the part of Magnolia glauca, as to produce 

 paroxysms of fever, and even an attack of inflammatory gout. 

 The bark has been found to be destitute of tannin and gallic acid, 

 notwithstanding its intense bitterness. The bark of the root of 

 the Magnolia glauca '» an important tonic ; and the same proper- 



