MAGNOLIA. 



MAONOUACE^E. 



ttO 



entitle*! ' Botanicum MonipelienM ; seu Plantarum circa Monspelium J 

 nasceutium Index,' Svo., 1686. This work, illustrated with plates, | 

 u wall u one published in 1689 with the title ' Prodromus Historic 

 Qenenlis Plantarum in quo Plantto per Families disponuntur,' was 

 arranged according to a natural system of hi* own. la another 

 work embracing the planU growing in the Montpellicr Harden, 

 entitled ' Hortuj Kegiua Monspeliensis,' he has arranged the plants 

 according to the system of Tournefort 



The genus Magnolia is the type of the natural order Magnoliacca. 

 It has a calyx of 3 deciduous sepals that resemble petals ; the corolla 

 is composed of 6 to 9 petals ; the stamens and pistils numerous ; the 

 carpels are disposed compactly in spikes, opening by the external 

 angle, 1-2 seeded, permanent ; the seeds baccate, somewhat cordate, 

 pendulous, hanging out beyond the carpels by a very long umbilical 

 white thread. The species of Magnolia are trees or shrubs, with 

 alternate, stipulate, deciduous, or evergreen simple leaves, and large 

 terminal solitary odoriferous flowers. They are all natives of North 

 America and Asia. 



M. grad(jtora, Great-Flowered Magnolia, or Laurel-Bay, is an ever- 

 green tree, reaching sometimes a height of 70 feet It has oval-obloug 

 coriaceous leaves with the upper surface shining and the under surface 

 rusty; the flowers erect, with from 9 to 12 petals expanding. This 

 plant is one of the tallest and handsomest trees of North America. 

 It has large pale-green shining leaves nearly 10 inches long, with Urge 

 white flowers. It has been cultivated in England for the last century, 

 and in this country attains a height of from 20 to 30 feet. Several 

 varieties of this species have been named and described. Amongst 

 the most constant and best known varieties are 1, M. g. obovata ; 2, 

 M. g. Sxonientu; 8, M. g. angiutifolia ; and 4, If. g. pnecox. The 

 first is known in the Carolinas by the name of the Big Laurel ; the 

 second is the Exmouth Magnolia; the third and fourth are varieties 

 which have been produced in France. 



In the cultivation of this species a deep sandy loam, dry at bottom, 

 and supplied with vegetable mould, suits all the varieties. In planting 

 it against a wall, almost any aspect may be chosen except a north-east 

 This plant may be propagated by stools, which should be laid down 

 in autumn, and require two years before they are fitted for separation. 

 They are then potted, and kept in pits or under glass during the 

 winter. It may be also propagated by seeds from America, 



11. ijlnuca, deciduous Swamp Magnolia, is an almost deciduous 

 plant, with obtuse elliptical leaves, glaucous on the under surface ; 

 the flowers from 9-12-petalled, contracted; the petals ovate, concave. 

 This species is a tree rising from 15 to 20 feet in height It is a 

 native of North America, in low moist swampy ground at a little 

 distance from the sea, from Massachusetts to Florida and Louisiana. 

 This plant is also cultivated, and a number of varieties have been 

 described. The bark has a bitter and aromatic odour resembling 

 sassafras. On this account it has been used in America as a substitute 

 for other aromatic bitter barks as Cascarilla, Conella, &c., and, it ia 

 said, with great success. Although not much used in Europe, very 

 favourable reports of its efficacy in chronic rheumatism, ague, and 

 remittent fever have been given. All the species of Magnolia possess 

 more or less the properties which are most evident in At. glanea. 

 When used, a tincture made from the bark, seeds, or cones is equally 

 efficacious. It is said that when the tincture is made from the leaves 

 and cones whilst green, it is more efficacious. In America this tree 

 is known by the names White Laurel, Swamp Laurel, Swamp Sassafras, 

 Sweet Bay, and Beaver-Tree. The last name is given to it on account 

 of the fondness of the beaver for it The flowers are of a cream colour 

 and have a sweet scent, which Kalm says may be smelt at a distance 

 of three miles. The flowers are followed by red berries, which give 

 the tree a handsome appearance. The berries are steeped in brandy 

 and used as a domestic medicine for various complaints. 



M. umbrella is a deciduous tree with lanceolate spreading leaves, 

 the adult ones smooth, the younger ones pubescent underneath ; the 

 petals 9-12, exterior ones pendent It is a native of North America, 

 in the Carolina*, Georgia, Virginia, and New York. The leaves are 

 one to two feet long, placed at the ends of the branches in a circular 

 manner, somewhat in the form of an umbrella, from which circum- 

 stance it has been called the Umbrella-Tree. The wood is soft and 

 pongy, and on the mountains of Virginia is called Elmwood. 



M. ocMmi'no/a, a deciduous tree with oval acuminate leaves, the 

 under surface pubescent, the flowers with from 6 to 9 petals. It is a 

 native of North America, from Pennsylvania to the Carolinas. The 

 flowers are large, 3 or 4 inches in diameter, of a yellowish colour, 

 mixed with faint blue or pea-green, but not remarkable for their 

 beauty. The fruit is about 3 inches long, and resembles a small 

 eucumber, whence in America it is called Cucumber-Tree. A tincture 

 is made of the fruit, and is used in cases of rheumatism. Several 

 varieties of this plant have been described. It is often used in the 

 London nurseries as n stock on which to engraft the other species. 



There are several other species of this magnificent genus foun.l in 

 the forests of North America, all of which are valued in Great 

 Britain for ornamental culture. The best known of these are M. 

 rordata, the Heart- 1 .caved Cucumber-Tree, with yellow flowers streaked 

 with red, and having a disagreeable odour ; and M. auriculala, Indian 

 Physic, or Long-LenTe<l Cucumber-Tree, having white flowers and a 

 bitt<T bark, which is used as a medicine by the Indians. 



M. Yulan, or M. cotupicua, a deciduous tree with obovate abruptly 

 acuminated leaves, the younger ones pubescent, expanding after tin- 

 flowers ; the flowers erect, li-9-petalled ; the styles erect This plant 

 attains a height of 30 or 40 feet ir its native country, but reaches 

 only 8 or 10 feet in our gardens. It grows in China, where it has 

 been cultivated since the year 627. Its native name ia Yulan. It is 

 a very showy tree, haying white flowers sometimes suffused with 

 purple, which give out a most delicious perfume. It blossoms in this 

 country from February to April, and is distinguished from the other 

 species by the flowers appearing before the leaves. It is not quite so 

 liordy as the American species; still, unless the weather is unpro- 

 pitious, it will put forth an abundance of blossoms during the dreary 

 months of February and March. 



M. purpurea, the Purple-Flowered Magnolia, is a deciduous shrub, 

 with obovate-acuto reticvlately-veined leaves, almost smooth ; the 

 flowers erect, of 3 sepals and 6 obovate petals ; the styles very short 

 This plant is a native of Japan, and seldom attains a greater height 

 than 10 feet The bark when bruited has on aromatic odour. The 

 flowers are more or less purple without, and always white within. It 

 is a very ornamental species and worthy of cultivation. The best 

 situation for it is against a wall, when its branches will reach from 

 15 to 20 feet 



In their cultivation the hardy kinds may be treated in the same 

 way as At. grand\ftora. The Chinese kinds are often inarched or 

 budded on M. obovata. When the plants are replanted after layering 

 or propagation by seed, neither the roots nor leaves ought to be cut 

 off, otherwise they will not succeed so well. 



(Don, Dichlamydeota I'lanli ; Loudon, Eacycl. of Trees and Shrubt.) 



M AGNULI A'CK/E, Magnoliadt, an important natural order of albu- 

 minous polypctaloua Exogenous Plants, consisting of bushes and trees, 

 inhabiting the temperate parts of both the Old and New World. 

 They have the numerous disjoined carpels and hypogynous stamens 

 of Jtanunculaceic, to which they are closely allied ; they differ not 

 only in their arborescent habit, but in the young leaves being 

 enveloped in stipules, either horn-like and convolute, or bivalved, 

 which are thrown off as the leaves unfold. The flowers are usually 

 large and sweet-scented, and the leaves are firm, broad, and large, in 

 consequence of which many of the species ore objects of cultivation 

 in all civilised countries. In England, where they are exotica, they 

 are among the most highly-valued of ornamental plants, and every 

 species which can bear the climate, or which will thrive in conserva- 

 tories, has been collected with great care, whenever opportunities have 

 offered, so that few now remain to be imported. Among the most 



A branch of Ttilanma pvmila. 



I, a head of ripe fruit with the iwcd hanging down by their cord*; 2, a vcr. 

 Ueal section of a wed, (bowing tbc minute embryo lying in copioun albumen. 



