POPULAR FLORA. 



117 



2. MAGNOLIA FAMILY. Order MAGNOLIACE^. 

 Trees or shrubs, -with aromatic or strong-scented and bitter bark, and alternate simple 

 leaves, ■which are never toothgd ; large, thin stipules form the covering of the buds, but 

 fall off early. Flowers large, single at the ends of the branches ; their leaves in threes, 

 viz. 3 sepals colored like the petals, and G petals in two ranks or 9 in three ranks, their 

 margins overlapping in the bud. Stamens verymany, on the receptacle, with long anthers 

 occup}-ing, as it were, the side of the filament. Pistils many, packed and partly grown 

 together one above the other, so as asr 



to make a sort of cone in fruit — 

 We have only two genera. 



1. Stipules flat, not adhering to the 



leafstillk. Petals 6, greenish-or- 

 ange. Filaments slender. Pistils 

 overlying each other and grown to- 

 gether to make a spindle-shaped 

 cone, dry when ripe, and sepa- 

 rating into a sort of key-fruit. 

 Leaves somewhat 3-lobed, and as 

 if cut off at the end. One species 

 only is known, the 

 {Dtriodendron Tulipifera) Tulip-teee. 



2. Stipules making around and pointed 



bud, adhering to the lower part of 

 the leaf-stalk. Petals G to 9. Fil- 

 aments below the anther very short. 

 Cone of fruit rose-red and fleshy 

 when ripe, the pistils opening on 

 the back, the scarlet fleshy-coated 

 seeds hanging by delicate and very 

 elastic threads, Magnolia. 



Magnolia. Mar/noUa. 

 Our wild species divide into Laurel-Magnolias, Cucumber-trees, and Umbrella-trees. 

 ^ 1. LAUREI^MAGNOLIAS. Leaves thick, evergreen at the South; leaf-buds silky; flowers rather 

 globe-shaped, appearing through the summer, white, very fragrant 



1. Great L.\ukel-Magkolta. Tree with leaves deep-green and shining above, rusty beneath when 



young; flower very large. S. It has stood the winter as far north as Philadelphia. i[. grandifiora. ' 



2. Small Lahrel-M. (or White Bay). Shrub or small tree; leaves oblong, whitish beneath; flower 



about 2' broad. Swamps. E. & S; J/, glauca. 



§ 2. CUCUMBER- TREES. Leaves thin, scattered along the branches, a little downy beneath, buds 

 silky ; flowers not sweet-scented, nor showy, nor very large, appearing in spring. 



3. CoMMOK CucuMBER-M. A tall tree; leaves oval or oblong, pointed; flowers greenish; young fruit 



resembling a very small cucumber. Common W. M. acuminata. 



253 256 



iiirel-Majnolia. 257. A etnmen ma^ified. 25:j. Its cone of Cnii\, 

 tbe Eeeds hanging, as they drop. 



