SILVA OF NOETII AMEBIC A. magnoliace^, 



as the Tertiary period it was common in the Arctic Circle, in Greenland, in central Eiu'oxie, and on the 



mid-continental plains of North America.^ 



The largest of the genus is M. Camphdlii,- a noble tree of the Sikkim Himalaya, where hi elevated 

 sub-tropical valleys it attains the height of a hundred feet. M. hypoleucaf a native of mountain forests 

 in northern Japan, is one of the largest, and perhaps the most useful of the genus. The Chinese M. 

 consinciia and IL ohovata, as well as several liybrids^ between these species, have long been cultivated 

 for their conspicuous precocious flowers.'' The North American species are interesting and widely cid- 

 tivated ornamental trees. 



The wood of Magnolia is light or rarely heavy, moderately hard, close-grained, easily worked, 

 although not strong or durable, creamy white or brown, quickly becoming stained with decay. The sap- 

 wood is a little lighter colored than that of the heart. The medullary rays are thin and inconspicuous. 

 It has few economic uses.^ 



All parts of Magnolia are slightly bitter and aromatic. The dried bark, especially of the root, aiul 

 the cone and seeds of several American species were formerly used occasionally as a stimulant and tonic.'' 

 The Chinese employ the powdered seeds of M. conspicua in the treatment of inflammatory troubles of 

 the tJiroat and eyes,^ and the dried flower-buds medicinally, and to season rice." 



All the Magnolias grow freely and rapidly in cultivation ; they require deep, rather moist, well- 

 dranied soil, and thrive in peaty loam. They are easily raised from seed, and may be propagated by 

 grafting or by layers. The American Magnolias are singularly free from the attacks of injurious insects." 



The genus Magnolia was established by Plumier in 1703.'^ Plumier's species, however, a noble 

 West Indian evergreen tree, with which one of the North American species of MagnoHa was afterwards 

 confounded by Linnaeus, is now the type of the allied tropical genus Talauma. The name commemo- 

 rates the labors of Pierre Magnol (1638-1715), professor of botany at Montpelher, who first indicated 

 the natural families of plants. 



Hooker f . III. Him. PI. t. 4, 5. - Griffith, Icon. ir. t. GoG. schen liegierung dargestdU, u. 259.) 



* Garden and Forest, i. 304, f. 49. 7 t i i r. ^ :,*- j at- ^ .. - 



. T ■, . Lloyd, Drugs and Med. N. Am. ii. 41. 



^ Loudon, ^ri. ifrii.i. 278. 8 a^ r, i 7 ■■ ^^~ 



** Aoui-eau Duhamel, 11. 225. 



ihe so-called Magnolia fu-^cala, a tall evergreen shrub from ^ Pickerin-, Chron. Hist. PI 600 



^i^^:^:": '"' -°^ ^" ^" t t^'^'' '^''' '' ^'^ '' ^- ^- "^^^-"^^^^ ^ ^"^^- ^- '■ ^-^^^- ^-- ^^ '«- - ^^^) --- 



MicheHa. ' ' ""^' '' "" '''"' ^""^ '^"^^ ' ^^^^'""^""'^ ^^^™ '' ' lepidopterous insect to which he gives 



6 -,, ,. fi^e ^a.me Phyllocnistis magnolia^dla. 



^ Magnolia hypoleuca furnishes the wood «sed by the Japanese " Nov. PI. Am. Gen 38 



m the manufacture of sword-sheaths and lacquered ware. (Rein, 



CONSPECTUS OF THE KOETH AMERICAN SPECIES. 



Leaves scattered along tlie branches : leaf-buds silky. 



Leaves persistent : slioots of the year and carpels densely pubescent . 1 M wrm . 



Leaves subpersistent : young shoots pubescent .... • • • - ■ . fcbtida. 



Leaves deciduous. 



Oblong, ovate, or suheordate : flowi 



GLAUCA. 



v^uiuiig, ovaio, or subeordate : flowers small, green or yellow o 



Obovate or oblong, cordate at the narrow base : flowers very We and white ' ' ' A at ^'''''''-''^'^^• 

 Leaves crowded at the sum.it of the flowering branches : leaf-buds glabrous ' * -~— • 



Leaves obovate-lanceolatc, pointed at both end; 



1^ 



Leaves obovate-spatulate, auriculate at the base . . ^ tkipetala. 



CM. Fkaseki. 



