563 BOTANY. 



tains a height of forty to fifty metres. Its light, whitish wood is valu- 

 able, and is much used for many purposes. 



M. graridifloia is much like the preceding, but has larger flowers 

 and evergreen leaves, the former being from fifteen to twenty- five 

 centimetres in diameter. It grows only in the Southern States, where 

 its timber is somewhat used. 



M. UmbreUa and M. macropliyVa are named Umbrella Trees on ac- 

 count of the way in which their large leaves spread from the ends of 

 the branches. The leaves of the last-named species are from fifty to 

 «ighty centimetres (20 to 30 in.) long, and the flowers are from thirty 

 to thirty-five centimetres (12 to 14 in.) in diameter. 



M. gluuca, the Sweet Bay, is a shrubby species extending from Louis- 

 iana to Massachusetts, in the north near the coast only. 



The foregoing and most, if not all, the remaining species are quite 

 ornamental, and are planted wh'?rever they will endure the winters. 



Liriodendron Tulipifera, the Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar of the 

 Eastern United States, is one of our largest and most valuable timber 

 trees. Its light, whitish or yellowish wood is much used in cabinet- 

 making, coach-building, and for many other purposes. 



Magnol a eonspicua is the Yulan Tree of China. Other species of 

 this genus occur in Japan, China, and the Himalaya region. 



Order CalycantliacesB. — Shrubs with opposite leaves ; seeds with- 

 out eudoaperm. Three species occur in the Southern United States, 

 one in California, and one in Japan. This order, the structure of 

 which cannot bo discussed here, is evidently out of place in this Co- 

 hort. 



Order DUleniacese. — Shrubs, rarely trees, with alternate leaves ; 

 sepals five, petals five ; stamens indefinite ; ovaries usually distinct, one- 

 celled. Species 180, mostly tropical. 



Two Californian species of the genus Oroasosoma, doubtfully referred 

 to this order, are our only representatives. 



Some of the Indian species of Dillenia and Wormia yield hard and 

 valuable timber. 



Order Ranunculacese. — Herbs, rarely shrubs, with mostly alternate 

 or radical leaves ; sepals usually five or fewer, deciduous, often petal- 

 oid ; petals in one whorl, often wanting ; carpels usually distinct. 

 (Figs. 568-73.) Species about 500, most abundant in temperate and cold 

 regions. The herbage usually possesses a considerable acridity. 



Formerly many of the species were reputed to be of medicinal value 

 but at the present day they are but little used except by quacks. Sev- 

 eral species, however, still retain their places in the pharmacopoeias • 

 among these are : 



Aconitum NapeUus, Monkshood or Aconite, a native of Europe 

 whose roots furnish the drug Aconite. 



