155 



THE MAGNOLIA FAMILY MAGNOLIACEAE. 



The Magnolia family comprises about 10 genera with about 85 

 species of trees and shrubs, which are widely distributed in temper- 

 ate and tropical regions. The flora of North America embraces 4 

 genera, 2 of which comprise only shurbs while the other 2 contain 

 some of our well-known and important timber trees. The 2 arbores- 

 cent genera, Magnolia and Liriodendron, include about 9 species in 

 North America. Both genera are represented in the flora of Penn- 

 sylvania, the former with 3 species and the latter with 1 species. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



Page. 



1. Leaves not lobed; fruit a cone of fleshy coherent follicles; bud* ovate to conical, 

 sharp-pointed, hairy at least within; leaf -scars lunate to oval usually with 3, 



sometimes many, bundle-scars Magnolia 156 



1. Leaves 4-lobed or 6-lobed; fruit a spindle-shaped cone of dry carpels; buds flattened, 

 oblong, blunt-pointed, smooth both on outside and inside; leaf -scars circular or 

 sometimes slightly flattened at top with many scattered bundle-scars, Liriodendron 159 



THE MAGNOLIAS MAGNOLIA, Linnaeus. 



The Magnolias are among the most beautiful trees native to the 

 State of Pennsylvania. All the Magnolias have the appearance of 

 tropical trees and in fact most of them do not venture far beyond 

 warm latitudes. Their large, entire-margined, pinnately veined 

 leaves and their large, solitary and conspicuous flowers are largely 

 responsible for their tropical appearance. This genus derived its 

 name from Pierre Magnol, a French botanist, who was sometime 

 Professor of Botany in Montpellier and died in 1715. It embraces 

 about 25 species of trees and shrubs 3 of which are native to Penn- 

 sylvania. The members of this genus are natives of eastern North 

 America, southern Mexico, the West Indies, and eastern and central 

 Asia. 



SUMMER KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Page. 

 1. Leaves crowded at the end of the flowering branches in an umbrella-like circle, 



and 12-24 inches long : M. tripetala 158 



1, Leaves scattered along the branches, and 3-12 inches long, 2 



2. Large tree; leaves 4-12 inches long and deciduous; flowers green to yellow; follicles 



rounded M. acuminata 157 



2. Small tree or shrub; leaves 3-6 inches long, glaucous on under side, often persistent; 



flowers white; follicles tapering or tipped with styles M. virginiana 156 



WINTER KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



1. Buds 1-2 inches long and smooth on outside; leaf -scars large; twigs stout, M. tripetala 158 



1. Buds less than 1 inch long, silky to almost smooth on outside; leaf -scars small; 



twigs slender 2 



2, Large tree; leaves deciduous; twigs brown; bark furrowed and flaky; buds blunt- 



pointed, densely downy M. aouminata 157 



2. Small tree or shrub; leaves may persist; twigs green; bark smooth; buds green, 



pointed, hairy to smooth M. virginiana IW 



