72 MAGNOLIACEiE. 



ish bark. Leaves oblong or oval, obtuse, coriaceous, of a deep yellowish- 

 green above and glaucous or bluish-white beneath. Bark of young twigs 

 smooth, bright green. Flowers globular, about 2 inches in diameter, creamy- 

 white, and very fragrant. Cone of the fruit oval, 1 to 1 J inch long, greenish. 



Habitat. — In swamps from Cape Ann north of Boston, south to Florida 

 mostly near the coast, though occasionally found some distance inland. 

 North of Southern New Jersey it is not very common, nor does it attain 

 any considerable size. In its northern stations the leaves are deciduous, 

 but southward they become persistent. In the latitude of New York it 

 blooms in May and June, and at this season the flowers are collected in 

 large quantities for sale in the cities. It is known by a variety of local 

 names, as Sweet Bay, White Bay, Swamp Sassafras, Beaver Tree, etc. 



Magnolia acuminata Linne. — Cucumber Tree. 



Description. — Caij^x : sepals 3. Corolla: petals 6 to 9, oblong-ovate, 

 scarcely expanding, glaucous-green tinged with yellow. Fruit cylindrical, 

 about 3 inches long ; when green somewhat resembling a young cucum- 

 ber, whence the common name. 



A large tree, 60 to 80 feet high and 4 to 5 feet in diameter at the base. 

 Leaves scattered, oblong, acuminate, 6 to 9 inches long, green above, slightly 

 pubescent beneath, deciduous. Flowers 3 to 4 inches in diameter, slightly 

 fragrant, appearing in May and June. 



Habitat. — From Western New York south to Georgia and west to Ohio, 

 in rich woods. In the Southern States it is confined to mountainous dis- 

 tricts. The wood somewhat resembles bass-wood (Tilia), though it is more 

 compact, and is applied to the same uses. 



Magnolia Umbrella Lam. (M. tripetala L.). — Umbrella Tree. 



Description. — Calyx : sepals 3. Corolla : petals 9, oblong-lanceolate, 

 acute, white. Fruit oblong, 4 to 6 inches long, rose-colored. 



A small tree, 25 to 35 feet high, with irregular branches. Leaves clus- 

 tered at the summit of the branches, oblong-lanceolate, 12 to 18 inches long, 

 pointed at both ends, downy beneath, soon becoming smooth, deciduous. 

 Flowers 4 to 6 inches in diameter, white, of an unpleasant odor, appearing 

 in May and June. 



Habitat. — From Pennsylvania southward and westward, in deep, rich 

 soils and shady locations. 



Part Used.— The bark — United States Pharmacopoeia. Official name, 

 Magnolia. 



Constituents. — Both the root and stem bark of the above-described 

 species of magnolia contain an aromatic and a bitter principle : the former 

 being volatile is diminished by desiccation and entirely lost when the bark 

 is kept for a length of time. The bitter principle is permanent, but has 

 not been isolated ; it is not associated with any astringent. A crystalline 

 principle has been discovered in some of the species, but its therapeutic 

 action, if it have any, has not been demonstrated. 



