138 The Natural System of Botany. 



leaves, the essence of the Magnolia perfume is developed i n 

 all its power. These trees are indeed the living altars from 

 which a perpetual cloud of incense is ascending unto heaven 

 day by day, as if in gratitude for the profusion with which the 

 gifts of Nature are so prodigally poured forth from the lap f 

 earth in those favored regions." 



It would hardly be supposed that there should be any rela. 

 tion between these stately princes of the vegetable kingdom 

 and the insignificant Ranunculus, and yet an examination and 

 comparison of their flowers shows a near alliance. The calyx 

 of the Magnolia consists of three sepals, and the corolla of six 

 petals ; within these are placed many stiff stamens, arranged 

 in several rows upon a conical receptacle ; each anther has two 

 cells so situated that the pollen falls outward towards the petals. 

 The carpels are numerous, each containing a single cell, and 

 terminated by a narrow, thread-like stigma. These cells grow 

 together into a solid pistil, and ripen into a cone-shaped fruit. 

 This structure of the flowers and fruit differs very little from 

 that of the Ranunculus, but there is a difference by which 

 the Magnolias may with certainty be distinguished. Many 

 plants possess, at the base of each leaf-stalk, a pair of small 

 leafy bodies, called stipules, which are to the leaves very much 

 what bracts are to the flowers. Now the stipules of the Mag- 

 nolia are large, and perform an important function. Each of 

 the branches is terminated by a horn-like projection springing 

 from the base of the last leaf. This horn is a pair of stipules 

 rolled together for the protection of the next leaf which is to be 

 unfolded ; and that next leaf has a similar pair of stipules thai 

 roll up over the still younger leaf lying in its bosom, so that 

 if the horn be cut through, several generations of leaves will 

 be found thus enfolded within each other. This is the charac- 

 teristic peculiarity of the Magnolia tribe, by which it may at once 

 be distinguished from the Crowfoots and other allies. It is not 

 only a curious, but important and interesting mark of distinction. 

 The bud is very tender, and requires protection from the air, 

 from cold, and from accidents. This protection is afforded by 

 many different contrivances of nature, and in this instance by 

 the stipules. The seeds of the Magnolias are attached to the 

 inner suture of the carpels, from which they are suspended 



