MAGNOLIA 



Magnolia, Linnaeus, Sp. PL 535 (1735) ; Bentham et Hooker, Gen. PL i. 18 (1862); Nicholson, in 

 Gard. Chron. xvii. 515 (1895); Render, in Bailey, Cycl. Amer. Hort. 964 (1900); Schneider, 

 Laubholzkunde, i. 328 (1905). 



Deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs, belonging to the order Magnoliaceae. 

 Leaves alternate, simple, stalked, entire, with pinnate lateral nerves, which unite 

 and loop before reaching the margin ; in most species punctate with translucent 

 dots ; petiole channelled at the base, marked with two linear scars, continuous with 

 an annular scar around the branchlet, due to the early fall of the two connate 

 stipules, 1 which, adnate to the petiole, formed a cylindrical sheath in the bud. 



Flowers perfect, large, solitary, terminal ; sepals and petals imbricate in the 

 bud, inserted under the ovary ; sepals three, often similar to the petals in size and 

 colour, occasionally smaller and greenish ; petals six, nine, or twelve, in two, three, 

 or four rows ; stamens and pistils numerous, imbricated, the stamens below the 

 pistils on an elongated receptacle ; ovary sessile, one-celled ; style short, recurved, 

 stigmatic on the inner surface ; ovules, two. Fruit cone-like, composed of numerous 

 coalesced two-seeded follicles, dehiscent on the back ; seeds on long stalks, with a 

 red or scarlet outer coat, and a minute embryo, situated at the base of the fleshy 

 albumen. 



About twenty-five species of Magnolia are known, natives of North America, 

 China, Japan, Assam, and the Himalayas. The following key comprises the species, 

 which are cultivated in the open air in this country : 



I. Leaves evergreen, coriaceous. 



1. Magnolia grandiflora, Linnaeus. United States. Seep. 1583. 



Branchlets rusty tomentose. Leaves obovate-oblong, acuminate at the apex, 

 more or less covered beneath with brownish tomentum. 



2. Magnolia Delavayi, Franchet. China. See p. 1592. 



Branchlets glaucous, minutely pubescent. Leaves ovate-oblong or elliptic, 

 mucronate at the apex, glaucous with scattered pubescence beneath. 



II. Leaves sub-evergreen, falling before the young leaves appear in the following spring, 



bluish white and pubescent beneath. 



3. Magnolia glauca, Linnaeus. United States. Seep. 1585. 



Branchlets glabrous. Leaves elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, rounded or acute 

 at the apex. 



1 Cf. Lubbock, in/ourn. Linn. Soc. (Bot.) xxx. 466 (1895). 

 I58l 



