Bull Bay 



387 



for pumps, is yellowish brown, soft and rather weak, with a specific gravity of 

 about 0.47. 



On account of their slender deciduous styles, this species and the next are 

 sometimes classed as a genus distinct from Magnolia, under the name Tulipastrum 

 Spach. 



2. HEART-LEAVED CUCUMBER TREE -Magnolia cordata Michaux 



This tree, often regarded as a form or variety of the preceding species, is of 

 very limited natural distribution, growing wild 

 only in mountain woods from North Carolina to 

 Georgia. It sometimes becomes 24 meters high, 

 with a trunk about i meter in thickness. 



Its bark is rough and furrowed, the buds, 

 shoots, and young leaves silky-hairy, the twigs 

 becoming , smooth and gray. The leaves vary 

 from broadly ovate to rhombic-obovate; they are 

 dark green on the upper side, 2 dm. long or less, 

 short-pointed, sparingly hairy on both sides, or 

 smooth when old, the base heart-shaped, truncate 

 or somewhat pointed. The bell-shaped flowers, 

 which open in April, are canary-yellow, the sepals 

 about 2 cm. long, spreading, the oblong or obovate 

 petals 5 to 7 cm. long, blunt or bluntish. The 

 fruit is about 7.5 cm. long and 2 to 2.5 cm. 

 thick. 



The wood closely resembles that of the Cucumber tree, but is lighter in weight; 

 its specific gravity being about 0.41, and owing to its rarity is not of economic 

 importance. The tree is often cultivated and is of great beauty and interest. 



Fig. 340. 



-Heart-leaved Cucumber 

 Tree. 



, 3. BULL BAY — Magnolia grandiflora Linnasus 



Magnolia virginiana fcetida Linnaeus. Magnolia fostida Sargent 



The Bull bay, or Great laurel magnolia, is the largest leaved evergreen tree of 

 our flora, and grows naturally in moist soil, especially along ponds and swamps, 

 from eastern North Carolina to central Florida, westward through the Gulf States 

 to Texas and Arkansas. It attains a maximum height of about 25 meters, and 

 a trunk diameter of 5 meters, and when unimpeded by other trees is conic in 

 form. 



The thick rough bark is light brown, the young twigs round, covered with 

 reddish hairs, but become smooth and gray; the buds are very hairy. The leaves 

 are thick, leathery, persistent over winter until after the new ones unfold in the 

 spring, I to 3 dm. long, pointed or bluntish, dark green, smooth and finely netted- 



