72 MAGNOLIA 



oblong-obovate, widest above the middle, bluntish at the apex, broadly heart- 

 shaped or auriculate at the base ; bright green and smooth above, silvery 

 grey and downy beneath. Flowers on leafy shoots 8 to 10, sometimes 14 ins', 

 across, fragrant ; petals six, dull creamy white, fleshy, 5 to 7 ins. long, half as 

 wide. Fruit roundish, egg-shaped, rose-coloured, 3 ins. long. 



Native of the south-eastern United States, where it is rare, and only occurs 

 in small isolated stations. It was discovered by the elder Michaux in 1759 in 

 the mountains of S. Carolina ; introduced to Europe in 1800. In foliage this 

 is the most remarkable of Magnolias ; and is indeed one of the most interesting 

 of the -world's trees; but it is, unfortunately, spring tender in a young state. 

 That it will withstand severer frosts than any we experience is shown by two 

 healthy trees growing near the museum of the Arnold Arboretum, Boston. 

 The most famous specimen in England is at Claremont, where, in a sheltered 

 spot, is a healthy tree now 40 ft. high, with a trunk ^3 ft\ in girth. 



M. OBOVATA, Thunberg. 



(M. denudata, Lamarck ; M. purpurea, Curtis, Bot. Mag., t. 390.) 



A deciduous bush of rather straggling growth, rarely more than 12 ft. 

 high in the open (although twice as high on walls) ; young wood aromatic. 

 Leaves ovate, oblong, or obovate, 3 to 8 ins. long, 2 to 5 ins. wide ; tapering rather 

 abruptly to a point, dark green above, downy beneath. Flowers opening from 

 April to June ; petals 3 ins. long, if ins. wide, erect, obovate, .vinous purple 

 and white outside, white within. 



Introduced from Japan in 1790, this handsome shrub is now considered 

 to be a native of China, and as existing in Japan as a cultivated plant only. 

 It varies to a considerable extent in the colour of the flowers when raised 

 from seed, but is always purple or a combination of purple and white outside, 

 and white within. 



Var. PURPUREA has larger flowers than the type, wholly purple outside, 

 v r ery deep towards the base of the petals (see Bot. Mag., figure quoted 

 above) ; but there appears to be no well-marked distinction between 

 them. 



Quite hardy near London, it usually requires wall protection in the north. 

 The later flowers are accompanied by full-sized leaves. 



M. PARVIFLORA, Siebold. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 7411.) 



A small deciduous tree or large shrub, with slender branches. Leaves 

 oblong or obovate-oblong, 4 to 6 ins. long, the apex contracting rather 

 abruptly to a point, rounded at the base, dark green and smooth above, 

 glaucous and downy beneath, usually with seven to nine pairs of veins ; 

 leaf-stalk to \ in. long, pubescent when young. Flowers fragrant, at first 

 cup-shaped, borne on a stalk I to i\ ins. long ; petals pure white, about 2 ins. 

 long, obovate, very concave. Stamens numerous, forming when spread out, 

 a rosy crimson disk i in. across. 



Native of Japan and Corea. The most distinctive character of the species 

 is the comparatively long flower-stalk. The flowers are not borne in one 

 large crop, but appear a few at a time from May until August on the leafy 

 shoots. The crimson stamens show in attractive contrast with the white 

 sepals. It is not so robust a grower as most Magnolias are, and even more 

 than most, likes a proportion of leaf-soil and peat in the soil. It has ripened 

 seeds at Kew from which plants have been raised. 



