1 74 NA TUR. I L mSTOB Y OF PL^iXTS. 



Worlds ; three are proper to the New World, and four to the Old. 

 The latter possesses about fifty-five species of its own ; the former 

 about a score. We know of none found native in both. 



The Magnolinci'O' are almost all useful to man. They only become 

 noxious in some cases by the very excess of their virtues. Thus it 

 is said that the too powerful scent of the Howers of Magnolia Um- 

 brella and of several other species of the same genus has sufficed to 

 cause headache, nausea, and nervous attacks. But in the open air 

 the lemon-like scent of M. grnnc/ijiura, that which the species of the 

 section Talaunia' spread far and wide, and the yet sweeter odour 

 of M. ptcrocarpa Koxk., glanca, Yulnii, &c., are very agreeable, and 

 cause these superb plants to be prized as ornaments in gardens,' as 

 do the evergreen polished leaves of J/, grandifora, and the white or 

 pink corollas of M. Yi/lan, purpurea, ^oulaiig'iana, auriculaia, macro- 

 phyUa, glauca, CampheUii^ Kobns* &c. As drugs,' the Magnolias t^yo- 

 perly so-called are rich in a bitter, aromatic, tonic principle found in 

 the bark of both root and stem, and especially the latter." The bark 

 of M. gra/idi//ora {the Tidip-LanreJ, Big Laurel oii\\Q Americans) is con- 

 sidered a tonic and slight febrifuge. That of M. glauca {Blue Magnolia, 

 Marsh Magnolia, Castor-tree, Beaver-tree, Virginian Cinchona, Swamp 

 Sassafras of the Americans) enjoys a fiir greater reputation.^ This 

 species was for some time thought to produce the true Angostura harh, 

 which will show pretty clearly what are its virtues. From it is pre- 

 pared an alcoholic tincture, which is a tonic stimulant' and febrifuge, 



' It is ajBC'vnrcd that the flower of T. /ra- " Miciix., Arhr. Forest., iii. 77. — Pbreira, 



grantisgima HooK. {Icon. t. ccxi.), which we op. ri/., (575. In the south of the rnitcd States 



must reftT to T. ovata A. S. H., can be smelt this plant is also called H'/ti(e li^ii/ and Stcfef Haif. 



half a mile off. Its bark is removed in autumn and winter. When 



2 Tkkw, Iron. Select., t. 9, 23, 25, fig. 2, 62, dry it occurs in lipht, smooth, somewhat quillwl 



63. — DriiAM., Triiifi' dci Arhr. (1775), ii. 2. pieres, several inches lonp, and one or two inches 



* Hook. & Tiiomb., Illustr. PL Jlhnal., t. broad, of a silvery ash colour outside, white and 

 4. — V. HoCTTE, Fl. dea Serres, t. 1282-1285. fibrous within. It has a warm, pungent, bitt«r 

 This sjMJcies has a bri|;ht pink jmrianth, and a taste, and an agreeable smell. The bark of tho 

 pretty regular elongated fruit. root is thought more active than that of tho 



* Ka:mi'F., /co». -SV/«7. (I7i»l), t. 42. trunk. It is suppi>s«.>d to contain the sjmie prin- 

 » Endi.., Knchir., 42'.». — l*Kiti:iiiA, Elem. ciple analogous to lirimlendrine as that found in 



Hat. Mid., vA. 4, ii. ji. ii. (57 1.— (Irin., ///V. tho bark of M. ijrandijlora, by S. IMuu-TKE 



Nut. dm. Driuj. Sim/d., i-d. 4, iii.(')7H. — LiM)!,., (Jmer. Joiirn of Phann., xiv.!l5). The iirci)ani- 



Fl. ilfid., 23. — HosKNTii., Synops. Plant. tions usually used are the jwwder, the alcoholic 



JJiaphr., 595. infusion, and the decoction. 



* Blcmk thought that thews properties af- " According to IUuton it is so powerful an 

 forded a clear separation Ixjtwcen Mof/noliacetr excitant, that when imi)roperly administertHi it 

 and Uillfiii'tcrti, which are not aronialic, but may determine attacks of fever or rheumatism, 

 simply astringent. 



