200 AlfUDUlil I M AND IRUTItETUM. PART III. 



Genus I. 



mmk\ 



MAGNO'L/// L. The Magnolia. Lin. Sj/st. Polyandria Polygynia. 



Identification. I-in. Gen., 6!X). ; Gart. Fruct, 1. p. ;i43. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 79. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 82. 



Synoni/mes. MaRnolie, Fr. and Hal. ; Bicberbaum Hart., ; and Magnolie Willd., Oer. 



Vcrivalions. The name MaRnbliu was given to this gonus by I-innaeus, in honour of Pierre Magnol, 

 professor of medicine, and prefect of the botanic garden at Montpelier. He was author of Bota- 

 7iiruni Monsih-licnse, published in 1670, and of other works. He died in 171.'>. The (ierman name 

 Bieberbaum, beaver.wood, is applied gcnerically by Hartweg in the Hortiis Carlsruhcnsis ; but, in 

 America, beaver.wood appears to be applied only to M. glauca. 



Gen. Char. Calyx of 3 deciduous sepals, that resemble petals. Corolla of 

 from 6 — 9 petals. .S/AJwens numerous. Pw/i/*' numerous. CV/r/jfA- disposed 

 compactly in spikes, opening by the external angle, 1 — 2-seedcd, permanent. 

 Seeds baccate, somewhat cordate, pendulous, hanging out beyond the car- 

 pels by a very long umbilical thread. — Trees and shrubs with large entire 

 leaves ; and solitary, terminal, large, odoriferous flowers. Trees chiefly deci- 

 tluous, but partly evergreen. {Don's Mill., adapted.) 



Description. One of the species is a lofty evergreen tree; but the others 

 are deciduous, and partly trees and partly shrubs. The flowers of most of the 

 species are white ; but in some they are of a greenish yellow, and in others they 

 are tinged with purple. Tlie seeds are mostly of a scarlet colour. The 

 roots are brancheil, and yet but sparingly supplied with fibres. 



Geography. The native country of most of the hardy magnolias is North 

 America; but there are some hardy species found in China and Japan, and, 

 perhaps, also, in the Himalaya. No species of Magnolwcftc has hitherto been 

 tbund in Europe, Africa, South America, or Australia ; and the geographical 

 range of this order in America and Asia is comparatively limited. The first 

 magnolias were imported into Europe about the year 17.30, and into France 

 and England nearly about the same time. From that period to the present 

 new species have been introduced at intervals, and some may be expected 

 from the mountainous regions of India. Most of them are to be found in all 

 the botanic gardens, and in the principal European nurseries. All the magnolias 

 arc highly ornamental ; and though this is their principal use in Europe, yet in 

 America they are valued for their medical properties. The bark of all the 

 species is bitter; and it is used in America for the same purposes as the Jesuits' 

 bark is in Europe. The magnolias may be cultivated in most parts of Britain, 

 and of the middle and southern states of Europe; but, north of London and 

 Paris, some of the species require protection during winter, or to be kept in 

 the green-house. A deep sandy soil, and a situation sheltered from the 

 north and east, will suit most of the species; though some, as M. glauca, for 

 example, thrive best in a moist peaty soil. Few of the sjiecies ripen seeds in 

 England, but most of them do so in France. From these seeds, or from such 

 as are imported, all the American species are most frc(iuently raised ; but the 

 species from Asia are increased by layers, as are the American species very fre- 

 quently. In France, all the deciduous magnolias endure the open air, even in 

 the northern provinces, without [iiotection during winter, because, in con- 

 setpience of the warm summers, the wood is thoroughly ripened. In the 

 neighbourhood of Paris, all the species, even those of Asia, ripen seeds ; 

 though the evergreen magnolia rc(|uires protection there durhig winter. In 

 Holland and Belgium, the deciduous magnolias thrive nearly as well as in 

 France, and some of them rijjen their seeds. In Italy, the magnolias suffer 

 from the heat, except when planted in moist situations, and among other 

 trees. In the north of Clcrmany, in Russia, and in the greater part of Sweden, 

 mpst of the magnolias are green-house plants. 



The hardy species of this genus are included in two sections, Magnoh- 

 dstrum and (iwillim.v/. 



