1594 The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



Schwerin, who gives a good account ^ of M. kypoleuca, states that the seeds, when 

 sent from Japan, dry up and lose their germinating power, unless they are packed in 

 their fleshy covering in charcoal dust or peat powder. (H, J. E.) 



MAGNOLIA KOBUS 



Magnolia Kobus, De CandoUe, Syst. i. 456 (18 18); Maximowicz, in Mel. Biol. viii. 507 (1872); 



Shirasawa, Icon. Ess. Forest. Japon, i. text 71, t. 39, figs. 1-12 (1899); Matsumura in Joum. 



Sc. Coll. Imp. Univ. Tokyo,^ xii. 284 (1899); Masters, in Gard. Chron. xxxvii. 265, Supply. 



Illust. (1905); Bean, in Bot. Mag. t. 8428 (1912). 

 Magnolia glauca, var. a, Thunberg, Flora Jap. 236 (1784). 

 Magnolia tomentosa, Thunberg, in Trans. Linn. Soc. ii. 336 (1794) (in part). 



A deciduous small tree. Young branchlets slender, glabrous. Buds pubescent. 

 Leaves membranous, averaging 3 to 5 in. long, and 2 to 3 in. wide, occasionally up 

 to 6 in. long and 4 in. wide ; obovate, gradually tapering to the cuneate base, cuspi- 

 date-acuminate at the apex ; upper surface green, glabrescent, often pubescent on 

 the midrib ; lower surface lighter green, with pubescence on the lateral nerves, 

 forming axil-tufts at their junctions with the midrib ; margin ciliate ; lateral nerves 

 eight to ten pairs ; petiole with scattered long hairs. 



Flowers, appearing before the leaves, 4 in. across ; sepals very small, narrow, 

 quickly deciduous ; petals six, obovate, rounded or emarginate at the apex, white, 

 with a purple median line externally. Fruit, dark brown, 4 in. long, often curved 

 and contorted. 



I. Var. borealis, Sargent, Trees and Shrubs, ii. 57 (1908). 



Magnolia Kobus, Sargent, in Garden and Forest, vi. 64, fig. 11 (1893), and Forest Flora of Japan, 

 9, fig. 3 (1894) (not De Candolle). 



A large tree, attaining in Japan 80 ft. in height and 6 ft. in girth, with a 

 straight trunk, covered with dark slightly fissured bark ; leaves larger than in the 

 type ; flowers with pure creamy white sepals. 



This variety, according to Sargent, is a native of Yezo, where it grows plenti- 

 fully in the forests of the hills around Sapporo. It also occurs in northern Hondo. 

 So far as we know, it is not in cultivation in England. 



The typical form of the species is a small tree, about 20 to 30 ft. high, which is 

 occasionally seen at considerable elevations in the Hakkone and Nikko mountains, 

 and is recorded for Fujiyama by Hayata.^ Shirasawa states that the wood is harder 

 than that of M. kypoleuca ; but owing to the rarity of trees of a large size, is 

 little used. It is known in Japan as Kobushi. 



M. Kobus was introduced into the United States by Thomas Hogg, and was 

 distributed from Parsons' nurseries under the name M. Thurberi. Sargent states 

 that in New England it is the hardiest, most vigorous, and fastest growing of all 

 the Magnolias. Rehder, however, says that it flowers sparingly, and is not showy. 

 A tree in the Arnold Arboretum flowered when fifteen years old. 



1 In Mitt. Deut. Dend. Ges. 1904, p. i. 2 Recorded as doubtfully wild in the Liu Kiu Islands. 



3 Vegetation of Mt. Fuji, 56 (19 11). 



