182 XATL'UAL HISTOIlY OF PLANTS. 



GENERA. 



1. MAGNOLIE^E. 



1. Magnolia L. — Flowers hermaphrodite; receptacle conoidal more 

 or less elun^'uted. Sepals 2-4, petals G-X) , in 2-co whorls ; pnutlora- 

 tion imbricate. Stamens and carpels oo arranged in a spiral ; bare 

 part of gynophore between androceum and gyiueceuni more or 

 less elongate very short, or 0. Stamens free, anthers 2-celled adnata 

 dehiscing by introrse or lateral clefts. Carpels capitate or spicate ; 

 ovary 1 -celled ; placenta ventral 2-qo - ovulate ; ovules either de- 

 scending, micropyle exterior superior, or sub-horizontal, micropyle 

 exterior lateral ; style of variable form grooved longitudinally and 

 internally ; apex papillose stigmatiferous. Fruit multiple ; carpels 

 subsucculent, finally dry, either capitate on a rather short receptacle, 

 or finally arranged like a spike or cone on a more or less elongated 

 receptacle, all fertile, or a fair number sterile and abortive; in- 

 dehiscent and persistent until putrefaction, dehiscing dorsally, or 

 falling off by the base separately or in irregular masses. Seeds drupe- 

 like, finally pendulous from a filiform funicle ; inner coat woody ; 

 albumen copious fleshy ; embryo minute subapical. — Trees or shrubs ; 

 leaves alternate stipulate evergreen or deciduous; stipules supra- 

 axillary, in turn shutting in the leaves in vernation, and finally dis- 

 closing them, caducous ; flowers terminal or axillary (A'', tropical 

 America, tropical, mhtropical and eastern Asia). See p. 129. 



2. Liriodendron L. — Perianth i)-partite, inserted on an oblong 

 receptacle. Leaves 3 outer sepaloid reflexed ; inner petaloid 

 connivent in 2 whorls, imbricate. Stamens and car})els x) , inserted 

 along one continuous spirid. Anthers linear adnatc extrorse. 

 Carpels spicate ; ovaries 2-ovulate ; ovules obliquely descending ; 

 style compressed leafy, apex stigmatiferous. Fruit multiple stro- 

 biliform ; carjjcls indehiscent 1 or 2-seeded, samaruid through the 

 styles persisting into membranous-woody imbricated wings, samaras 

 linally deciduous. Seeds pendulous ; albumen fleshy copious ; embryo 

 superior minute. — A tree ; leaves alternate sinuately 4-lobed, truncate 



