MAGNOLIACKuE. (mAGXOLIA FAMILY.) 40 



1. MAGN6LIA, L. ]Magn-olia. 

 Sepals 3. Petals C- 9. Stamens imbricatctl, with very short filaments, ami 

 long anthers opening inwards. Pistils aggregated on the long receptacle and 

 coherent in a mass, together forming a tleshy and rather woody cone-like red 

 fruit ; each carpel at maturity opening on the back, from which the 1 or 2 

 berry-like seeds hang by an extensile thread composed of unrolled spiral ves- 

 sels. Inner seed-coat bony. — Buds conical, the coverings formed of the suc- 

 cessive i)airs of sti])ules, each pair enveloping the leaf next above, which is 

 folded lengthwise, and api)lied straight against the side of the next stipular 

 sheath, and so on. (Nanitd after Magnol, Professor of Botany at Montpellier 

 in the 17th century.) 



* Ldircs all sniltmd aluiifj the hrnnches : leaf-lnids silk^/. 



1. M. glauca, L. (Small or Laurel Magnolia. Sweet Bay.) 

 Leaves oblong or oval, obtuse, icliite beneath ; Jlower globular, ichite, 2' long, very 

 fragrant ; petals broad ; cone of fruit small, oblong. — Swamps, from near 

 Cape Ann and New York southward, near the coast; in Pennsylvania as far 

 west as Cumberland Co. June -Aug. — Shrub 4° -20° high, with thickish 

 leaves, which farther south arc evergreen, and sometimes oblong-lanceolate. 



2. M. acuminata, L. (Cucumber-tree.) Leaves oblong, pointed, green 

 and a little pubescent beneath; Jlower oblong bell-shnped, glaucous-green tinged 

 with yellow, 2' long; cone of fruit small, cylindrical. — Rich woods, W. New 

 York to Ohio and southward. May, June. — Tree 60 - 90 feet high. Leaves 

 thin, 5' -10' long. Fruit 2' -3' long, when young slightly resembling a small 

 cucumber, whence the common name. 



3. M. maeroph^Ua, Michx. (Great-le.v^ved Magnolia.) Leaves 

 obornte-ohloni/, rordiile at the narrowed base, jiubescent and ivhite beneath ; flower 

 open bell-shiipcd, white, icitli a purjite spot at the base, petals ovate, 6' long ; cone of 

 fruit ovoid. — Rockcastle and Kentucky Rivers, S. E. Kentucky and south- 

 ward. Occasionally planted farther north. May, June. — Tree 20° -40° high. 

 Leaves 2|°-3i° long. 



* * Leaves a-owded on the summit of the flowering branches in an umbrella-like 

 circle : leaf buds glabrous : flowers white, slightlg scented. 



4. M. Umbrella, Lam. (Umkrella-tree.j leaves obovate-lanceolate, 

 pointed at both ends, soon glabrous, petals obovate-oblong, 4' -5' long. (M. 

 tripc'tala, L.) — York and Lancaster counties, Penn. {Prof Porter), to Vir- 

 ginia and Kentucky along the Alleghanies. May. — A small tree. Leaves 

 l°-3° long. Fruit rose-color, 4'- 5' long, ovoid-oblong. 



5. M. Fr^seri, Walt. (Ear-leaved Umbrella-tree.) Leaves oblong- 

 olionite or spalutale, auriculate at the base, glabrous ; petals obovate-sj)atulate, 

 with narrow claws, 4' long. (M. auriculata, Dim.) — Virginia and Kentucky 

 along the Alleghanies, and southward. April, ALiy. — Tree 30° - 50° high. 

 Leaves 8'- 12' long. Flower more graceful and cone of fruit smaller tlian in 

 the preceding. 



M. cord.Vta, Michx., the Yellow Cucumber-tree, of Georgia, and the 

 M. grandifl6ra, L., the Great Laurel Magnolia, of the Southern 

 States (a noble tree, remarkable for its deliciously fragrant great flowers, and 

 GM— 3 



