CHAP. III. 



MAGNOL/^ CEJE. MAGNO hlA. 



271 



standard in the open air; and in the north of Germany, and in Denmark and 

 Sweden, as a green-house plant. It is also in botanic gardens of the south of 

 Italy, but it does not thrive there. Some of the finest trees of this species 

 in Italy are at Monza. 



S 4. M. MACROPHY^LLA Moo. The long-leaved Magnolia. 



Idcntificalion. Mich. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 327.: Dec. Prod., 1. p. SO. ; Hayne Dend., p. 117. ; Don's 

 Mill., 1. p. 83. 



Synonymes Large-leaved Umbrella Tree, Amer ; Magnbl?^ Michauxii Hort. ; Magnolier &. grandes 



Feuilles, M.ignolier bainianier, Fr. ; grosscblattrige Bieberl)auni, Ger. 

 Engravings. Bot. Mag., 2189. ; E. of PI., 7915. ; and our plate in Vol. II. 



Siiec. Char. Deciduous. Leaves very large, oblong-obovate, somewhat pandu- 

 riform, cordate at the base, under surface whitish, glaucous. Petals 6—9, 

 ovate. (Doll's Mill., i. p, 83.) A tree of the middle size. North America. 

 Flowers white. June and July. 1800. Height 35 ft. 



DesaipUon. The general appearance of this tree, Michaux observes, greatly 

 resembles that of M. tripetala. The terminal arrangement of the leaves is 

 the same, and it is remarkable that the two trees are almost always found 

 together. In point of size, it exceeds the M. tripetala, both in its leaves and 

 general height; but it is seldom found higher than 35 ft., which exceeds the 

 height of the other by a sixth part only. The body of the tree is covered 

 with a smooth and very white bark, by which, in the winter, when stripped of 

 its leaves, it is readily distinguished from M. tripetala. At this season, also, it 

 may be distinguished by its buds, which are compressed and covered with a 

 soft and silvery down ; whereas in M. tripetala they are prominent and 

 rounded at the end. The leaves, in its native country, are 35 in. long, and 

 9 in, or 10 in. broad ; and in vigorous plants, in England, they sometimes even 

 exceed these dimensions. They are borne on peuoles, short in comparison 

 with the size of the leaves, and are of an olilong oval shape, pointed at the 

 extremity, and cordiform at the base : their colour is hght green above, and 

 glaucous beneath. The flowers are white, and larger than those of any other 

 species of magnolia; for, when fully blown, they are sometimes Sin. or 9 in. 

 in diameter : they are composed of six ])etals, longer and broader than those of 

 the umbrella tree. _ Within the flower, near the bottom of the petals, is a purple 

 spot, 7 or 8 lines in diameter. The flowers diffuse a fragrant odour, and their 

 beauty is heightened by the luxuriant foliage which surrounds them. The 

 fruit is about 4 in. long, nearly cylindrical, and of a vivid rose-colour when ar- 

 rived at maturity. In the arrangement of the carpels and of the seeds, the fruit 

 resemble those of M. tripetala and M. acuminata; it should be remarked, 

 however, that it is destitute of the appendages visible on that of the last-men- 

 tioned species, especially when it is dry. The seeds of the large-leaved um- 

 brella tree require, in order to preserve their power of germination, the same 

 attention as those of the preceding species. (Michx.) The stipules, in this 

 species, and the manner in which they envelope the unexpanded leaves, are 

 interesting subjects of observation, more especially when the leaves are 

 emerging from the bud. The stipules are large, and placed mainly upon 

 petioles of the leaves ; yet the ofSce of the stipules borne by the petiole of any 

 leaf is not to envelope and protect that leaf, but the leaf next inward to it. 

 The outermost wrappers of the leaf-buds are (as examination will show) 

 stipules upon the rudiments of petioles. Young plants of this species grow 

 very slowly till they are thorougly estabUshed, which will require, in general, 

 two years. The year's shoots may then be from 1 ft. to 2 ft. ; so that in ten 

 years a plant may attain the height of 12 ft. or 15 ft. It may be considered 

 a short-lived tree, and, like all such, it comes into flower when young. The 

 largest tree of this .species, in England, is 28 ft. 6 in. high. 



Geographi/. This is the rarest of the American species of magnolia. It 

 vvas generally confounded by the native collectors with the jMagn61i« tripetala, 

 till separated from it by Michaux, by whom it was discovered in 1789, in the 

 mountainous regions of North Carolina, 10 miles south of Lincoln town, and 

 250 miles from Charleston. Extensive researches made in quest of it, in the 



