MAGNOLIA. 475 



be of a stipiilary nature. The calyx consists of three deciduous 

 sepals ; the corolla of six to twelve petals like the sepals ; stamens 

 and ovaries numerous, on a prolonged receptacle. The fruit 

 consists of a number of follicles, in a compact spike, and opening 

 along their outer edge to allow of the escape of the scarlet or 

 brown seeds, which are suspended from the carpels by long slender 

 threads. The species number about 70. 



M. grandiflora, Lin. Spec, 755. This very stately, elegant, ever- 

 green tree, the noblest of all the species, attains in its native 

 country a height of 70 to 100 feet, dividing into many branches, 

 which form a large pyramidal head. It is a native of Xorth 

 America, and extends through the forests, in marshy places, from 

 Xorth Carolina to Louisiana. The leaves are oval olilong, 9 or 10 

 inches loner, much resembling those of the common laurel, 

 coriaceous, the upper surface shining, of a rather light green above, 

 Init the under surface rusty-brown. The flowers are large, erect, 

 cup-shaped, expanded, white or pale lemon-coloured, 9- to 12- 

 petalled, and have an exquisite fragrance. 



In America it flowers the greater part of the summer, beginning 

 in May, and produces its rich brown spikes of fruit in the autumn ; 

 but in England it does not begin to flower before July, and then its 

 flowers are inferior in size and in perfume to those produced in its 

 native habitat. Being more tender than the other American 

 species, it is generally grown against a south wall in England. 

 Lam. 111., p. 490 ; A. F. Michaux fils, Histoire des arbres forestiers 

 de I'Amerique septentrionale, iii.. p. 71, t. 1. ; Duhamel de 

 Monceau, Traitc des Arbres (Ed. nov., 1801-1816), ii., p. 219, t. 65. 



Var. a rotundifolia. Sweet, Hortus Britannicus, p. 11. Leaves 

 roundish. 



Var. yS ohovata. Leaves obovate-oblong ; flowers expanded. 

 In Carolina this variety is known by the name of " Big 

 Laurel." Alton, Hortus Kewensis, Ed. 2, iii., p. 329. 



Var. 7 elliptica. Leaves oblong-elliptical ; flowers somewhat 

 contracted, Alton Hort. Kewensis, Ed. 2, iii., p. 329 ; 

 Bot. Cab., t. 814 ; Miller, figures of plants described in 

 the Gardeners' Dictionary, ii., t. 172. This variety is 

 called the Exmouth variety. It is hardier than the other 

 varieties, and flowers earlier. 



