20 



FLORA AND SYLVA. 



Var. lanceolata. — The leaves are oblong- 

 elliptical, generally rusty beneath. It forms a tall 

 bush or small tree of fastigiate habit, and flowers 

 early and freely ; the best variety for general cultiva- 

 tion. — Ait., Hort. Kew. ; "Botanical Magazine" tab. 

 1952 ; var. exoniensis, Loddiges 1 " Botanical Cabinet" 

 tab. 814 ; var. stricta, Hort. 



Var. obovata differs from the type in the 

 leaves being of an obovate-oblong form, their 

 broad ends contrasting markedly with the more or 

 less pointed outline of those of the typical form. 



A host of seedling forms have received varietal 

 names in nurseries, but as it is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish many of them from each other, they are 

 just given here without comment. I have seen a 

 number of them, but neither in habit nor in leaf 

 characters do they call for special remark- — macran- 

 tha, crispa, Gallisonieri, majardieriensis, nannetensis, 

 rotundifolia, precox, latifolia, rubiginosa, etc. 



M. hypoleuca. — Like several other valuable 

 ornamental trees, this was first introduced into the 

 United States from Japan, and afterwards found its 

 way to this country. It is as yet somewhat rare. 

 In The Garden, Vol. XVI., p. 373, hypoleuca is 

 spoken of in high terms of praise ; its merit "lies 

 chiefly in the great beauty of its milk-white flowers, 

 which resemble those of conspicua, and possess a 

 delicious banana-like odour, surpassing that of any 

 other hardy Magnolia. Bright and attractive in 

 foliage, the underside of the leaf is greenish white, 

 hence the name." The leaves are indeed striking 

 enough; they measure from 12 to 18 inches in 

 length by about half the width in the broadest part, 

 which is above the middle. The timber of this tree 

 is no doubt valuable in Japan, and in a report by 

 His Majesty's Acting Consul at Hakodati on the 

 lacquer industry of Japan, published last year, it is 

 asserted that " all sword sheaths have hitherto been 

 made of this wood." Charcoal made from it, too, 

 is used in the polishing and preparation of the 

 high-class lacquered articles for which the Japanese 

 are so famous. Japanese specimens of sword and 

 dagger sheaths, &c, made of the wood of this 

 Magnolia are to be seen in the museum (No. 1) 

 at Kew. Of the New World species, this comes 

 nearest in general resemblance to M. tripelata. In 

 his " Forest Flora of Japan," Professor Sargent 

 tells us that M. hypoleuca is seen at its best in damp, 

 rich forests, which cover the rolling hills of Yezo ; 

 it sometimes attains a height of 100 feet, with a 

 trunk 2 feet in diameter. On the other Japanese 

 islands it is confined to mountain forests, and ap- 

 parently does not descend below 2,000 feet above 

 sea level. In Central Japan it is seen rarely more 

 than 20 or 30 feet in height, perhaps because the 

 larger trees have been cut for timber. It requires 

 a cold winter climate for its best development. It 



is, too, one of the largest and most beautiful of 

 deciduous Magnolias. In early autumn, when the 

 cones of fruit, which exceed those of any of the 

 American species in size (sometimes 8 inches in 

 length), brilliant scarlet in colour, stand out on the 

 branches, it is the most striking feature of the forests 

 of Hokkaido, which in variety and interest are not 

 surpassed by those of any other part of the world. 

 The very fragrant flowers measure 6 or 7 inches 

 when fully expanded, have creamy-white petals, and 

 brilliant scarlet filaments. — Sieb. and Zucc. Fam. 

 Nat., n. 349; Shirasawa, " Iconographie des Essences 

 Forestieres du Japon," p. 70, t. 39. M.glauca, Thunb., 

 " Flora Japonica," 27 3, not of Linn<eus . 



The Great-leaved Magnolia (M. macro- 

 pliylla). — For size and beauty of foliage the Great- 

 leaved Magnolia undoubtedly occupies the first 

 place amongst all the trees and shrubs with un- 

 divided leaves which are hardy in British gardens. 

 Its leaves attain a length of from i\ to 3^ feet ; 

 in shape they are obovate-oblong, cordate at the 

 narrowed base, and hairy and white beneath. The 

 open bell-shaped fragrant flowers are white, with a 

 purple blotch at the base of the inner petals, and 

 measure 8 or 10 inches across. It is rare even in a 

 wild state. Its native distribution is as follows : 

 Iredell and Lincoln counties, North Carolina to 

 Middle Florida, and west of the Alleghany Moun- 

 tains, from South-eastern Kentucky, southward 

 through Tennessee to Central Alabama. A tree 

 20 to 40 feet in height, with trunk rarely exceed- 

 ing 1 foot in diameter. The following dimensions 

 of a tree at Claremont were kindly furnished me 

 in 1883 by Mr. E. Burrell : Height, 30 feet; 

 circumference of stem at 1 8 inches from the 

 ground, 2 feet 9 inches ; and a spread of branches 

 of 28 yards. 



M. macrophylla was discovered in 1789 in North 

 Carolina by the elder Michaux, and in 1 800 it was 

 introduced into European gardens. The flowers 

 and leaves are the largest of those of any species in 

 the genus, and are larger and more conspicuous than 

 those of any tree in the North American forests. 

 Protection from wind is essential to this tree, as the 

 leaves otherwise get torn and injured. In a wild 

 state it attains its maximum development in shel- 

 tered limestone valleys of North Carolina, where it 

 is always found in sheltered forest glades or small 

 valleys, surrounded and often overshadowed by 

 Hickories, Sweet Gum (Liquidambar), etc. — Michx., 

 "Flora Boreali-Americana" 1, 327 ; Michx. fil., 

 " Arbres Forestiers de PAme'rique Septentrionale," iii., 

 99, tab. 7 ; Bonpland, " Jardin de la Malmaison," 84, 

 /. 33 ; Nuttall, "Sylva" 1,83; " Botanical Magazine ," 

 tab. 2189; Loudon, Arb. et Frut. Brit., 1, 271, /. 6 ; 

 Gray, " Manual of the Botany of the Northern United 

 States," 49 ; Koch, " Denarologie," erst. Theil, 374 ; 



