LIRIODENDRON 



35 



Hupeh, at 3000 to 6000 ft. altitude. Living plants were first introduced by Wilson 

 for Messrs Veitch. It never appears to become so large as L. Tulipifera, and 

 the greatest height recorded for it is 60 ft: The leaves are very much the 

 same shape as those of the American species, having the same truncate 

 apex, and two lateral lobes ; they are, however, more glaucous beneath, and 

 narrower waisted, the sinus between the lobes being deeper. The flowers have 

 not yet been seen in this country, but they are said to be smaller, the petals 

 narrower and expanding more widely, and the fruit more elongated. The 

 apices of the carpels are not so acute, and not recurved as in the American 

 tree. Young trees grow very rapidly as much as 3 or 4 ft. in one season. 

 Failing seeds, it is easily grafted on seedlings of L. Tulipifera. 



LIRIODENDRON TULIPIFERA. 



L. TULIPIFERA, Linnceus. TULIP-TREE. 



A tree of the largest size, reaching in its native, haunts 150 to 190 ft. in 

 height, with a magnificent columnar trunk 8 or 9 ft. in diameter. In the 

 British Isles it has attained a stature of over TOO ft. The leaves vary in size, 

 but are usually 3 to 8 ins. long, and about one-third more in width, and by 

 their form distinguish this from all other hardy trees except its Chinese ally ; 

 they are usually saddle-shaped, the apex being broad, and cut off almost 

 square, or to a very shallow notch, the base truncate, or slightly hollowed, 

 and extended at each side into an acute lobe with occasionally one or two 

 more subsidiary ones. The leaf-stalk is slender, 2 to 4 ins. long ; the midrib 

 is slightly extended beyond the blade. Flowers produced in June and July, 

 and except for the three deflexed sepals, resemble a tulip in form. Petals 

 oblong, ITJ ins. long, greenish white with an orange-coloured spot at the base, 

 erect with their edges overlapping, thus giving the flower, its cupped shape. 



