MAG NO'LI A PURPU'REA. 
PURPLE MAGNOLIA. 
Class. Order. 
POLYANDRIA. POLYGYNIA. 
Natural Order. 
MAGNOLIACEJE. 
Native of] 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Introduced 
Japan. | 
10 feet. 
June. 
Perennial. 
in 1790. 
No. 1085. 
The name, Magnolia, was adopted in honour of 
Pierre Magnol, the author of Botanicum Monspel- 
iense, and prefect of the Montpelier botanic garden. 
Most of the species of Magnolia are large de- 
ciduous trees ; purpurea, however, grows but as a 
bush, of somewhat straggling habit, deciduous in 
the open air with us, but evergreen in the milder 
climate of its native country, Japan. In China 
also it is said to be indigenous, but this is not cer- 
tain, although it is there frequently met with in 
cultivation. Independently of the distinct species 
which have been brought to this country from their 
native habitats, several varieties of this, and other 
species, are in cultivation. Some of these are abor- 
iginal varieties ; others have been propagated from 
seed on the continent, and some in this countiy. 
Of Magnolia purpurea there is one variety which 
should be mentioned. It is sometimes noticed as 
a distinct species, under the name of Gracilis, but 
it has no specific character to entitle it to such dis- 
tinction ; its most prominent difference, exists in 
its habit of growth, which with us, as a shrub, is 
much more upright, and pyramidal, than purpurea; 
272 . 
