16 
Order VII. MAGNOLIACE^. The Magnolia Tribe. 
MAGNOLiiE, Juss. Gen. 280. (1789); MAGNOLiACEiE, DC. Syst. 1 439.(1818) Prodr. 
1. 77. (1824.) ; BlumeFl.Jav. 
Essential Character. — Sepals 3-6, deciduous. Petals 3-27, hypogynous, in several 
rows. Stamens indefinite, distinct, hypogynous. Anthers adnate, long. Ovaries nume- 
rous, simple, arranged upon the torus above the stamens, 1 -celled ; ovules either ascending 
or suspended ; styles short ; stigmas simple. Fruit either dry or succulent, consisting of 
numerous carpels, which are either dehiscent or indehiscent, distinct or partially connate, 
always numerous, and arranged upon an elongated axis, sometimes terminated by a mem- 
branous wing. Seeds solitary, or several attached to the inner edge of the carpels, from 
which, when ripe and open, they often hang suspended by a delicate umbilical chord. 
Embryo minute, at the base of fleshy albumen. — Fine trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, 
not dotted, coriaceous, articulated distinctly with the stem : with deciduous stipules, which, 
when young, are rolled together like those of Ficus. Flowers large, solitary, often strongly 
odoriferous. Scales of the leaf bud formed of stipules either placed face to face or rolled up. 
Affinities. Nearly related to Dilleniacese, from which, they are chiefly 
distinguished by the ternary, not quinary, arrangement of the parts of the 
flower ; from Anonaceee, to which they also approach, the stipules and solid 
albumen separate them. Their stipulation points out an analogy with Urti- 
cacese ; their imbricate petals and sepals, and numerous ovaries, with Caly- 
canthacese, and through them with Monimiacese. According to Blume, the 
umbilical chord which is so remarkably extensible in these plants, is wholly 
composed of a multitude of delicate spiral vessels. (FI. Jav. 8.) 
Geography. The focus of this order is undoubtedly North America, 
where the woods, the swamps, and the sides of the hills, abound with the spe- 
cies. Thence they straggle, on the one hand, into the West India Islands, and, 
on the other, into India, through China and Japan. Brown remarks f Congo, 
465J, that no species have been found on the continent of Africa, or any of the 
adjoining islands. 
Properties. The general character of the order is to have a bitter tonic 
taste, and fragrant flowers. The latter produce a decided action upon the 
nerves, which, according to De Candolle, induces sickness and headache from 
Magnolia tripetala, and on the authority of Barton, is so stimulating on the 
part of Magnolia glauca as to produce paroxysms of fever, and even an attack 
of inflammatory gout. The bark has been found to be destitute of tannin and 
gallic acid, notwithstanding its intense bitterness. The bark of the root of 
Magnolia glauca is an important tonic. Barton, 1. 87. The same property 
is found in Liriodendron tulipifera, which has even been said to be equal to 
Peruvian bark. Michelia Doltsopa is one of the finest trees in Nipal, yielding 
an excellent fragrant wood, much used in that country for house-building. 
Don. Prodr. 226. Magnolia excelsa has a valuable timber called Champ, at 
first greenish, hut soon changing into a pale yellow ; the texture is fine. Wal- 
lich. Tent. 7. The cones of Magnoha acuminata yield, in Virginia, a spirituous 
tincture, which is employed with some success in rheumatic affections ; and the 
seeds of most species are remarkable for their bitterness : those of M. Yulan 
are employed in China as febrifuges, under the name of Tsin-y. DC. Blume 
remarks that Magnoliaceae are absolutely known from Dilleniacese by their bit- 
ter aromatic properties ; the latter never being any thing beyond styptics. FI. 
Jav. 
GENERA. 
Michelia, L. Aromadendron, Bl. Magnolia, L. Talauma, Juss. 
Manglietia, Bl. Sphenocarpus, Wall. Gwillimia, Rottl. Liriodendron, Juss. 
