178 



CLASSIFICATION 



delicious, and those of nona indifferent, but both are 

 largely eaten by birds and other animals, whereby the 

 seeds are dispersed. Uvaria macrophylla is a climb- 

 ing shrub of E. Bengal, conspicuous for its leaves 

 and red flowers (Plate IV, fig. b). 



Nat. Order 4. Magnoliacece. — Trees or shrubs, 

 sometimes climbing. Leaves alternate, simple, usually 

 entire, with bud-scales or stipules covering the buds. 

 Flowers usually aromatic, showy 

 yellow, white, or pink. Sepals 3, 

 green or petaloid. Petals in 2 or 

 more whorls of 3 each, imbricate. 

 Stamens and carpels as in Anonacece. 

 Fruit a collection of berries or follicles 

 dehiscing by dorsal sutures. Seeds 

 I or few. Albumen not ruminated. 

 It is chiefly tropical. The common 

 plants are champa (Michelia Cham- 

 paca) (fig. 148), with yellowish peri- 

 anth in several whorls, dulee-champa 

 {Magnolia pterocarpa) with 3 green 

 sepals and 6 white petals in two whorls, 

 and Magnolia grandiflora, all of which 

 produce fragrant protogynous bee -flowers. The 

 flowers of Magnolia grandiflora look like those of 

 padma {Nelumbiufn speciosum), and are often mis- 

 taken for the latter when removed from their setting. 

 Magnolia Campbellii of Darjiling is well known for 

 its handsome flowers. The trimerous perianth of 

 Anonacece and Magnoliacece is unusual and exceptional 

 amongst Dicotyledons. The Order is entomophilous. 

 Nat. Order 5. Menispermacece. — A tropical Order 

 of climbing plants with dioecious 3-merous flowers, 

 represented by the well-known plant golancha (fig. 

 149) {Tinospora cordifolia), used in the Indian pharma- 



Fig:. 148. — Champa 

 (Michelia Champaca) : 

 flower with perianth 

 removed 



