THE MAGNOLIA TRIBE. 9 



(fig. 3.), and is terminated by a narrow thread-shaped 

 stioina (fig. 3. h.). Those cells jrrow too^ether into a 

 solid pistil, and eventually change to a cone-like fruit, 

 the seeds of which are principally composed of albu- 

 men, with a tiny embryo lying perdu in its base. 



Such is the general structure of the heart-leaved 

 Magnolia, and in what points of importance does it 

 differ from a Ranunculaceous plant ? It has a calyx 

 of three sepals ; so has Ranunculus Ficaria ; it has 

 six petals, so have many Anemones ; its stamens are 

 numerous, and placed on a receptacle beneath the 

 carpels, their anthers grow to the edge of the fila- 

 ments, and the carpels are very numerous ; in all 

 these things it agrees with Ranunculus itself; but the 

 carpels grow to one another : the same thing happens 

 in Love in a mist (Nigella) ; and, finally, the nature of 

 the seed of a Ranunculus and a Magnolia is nearly 

 the same. Are these plants then nothing but Crowfoots 

 of a larger growth ? merely Ranunculaceous plants with 

 the stature of forest trees ? Not quite so. The two 

 orders are, as I have already stated, nearly akin to each 

 other, but they belong to difixirent races, and may be 

 certainly enough distinguished. Do you see how each 

 of these branches of the Magnolia is terminated by a 

 little horn that springs from the base of the last leaf ? 

 (fig. 5. a.); that horn is a pair of stipules rolled 

 together for the protection of the next leaf that is to 

 be born ; and that next leaf has a similar pair of 

 stipules that roll up over the still younger leaf lying 

 in its bosom ; so that if you cut into the horn you will 

 behold several generations of leaves lying enfolded the 



