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• Taxonomy
• Physical Description
• Distribution
• Landscaping
• Growth
• Similar Species
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Taxonomy

Physical Description

Family Magnoliaceae:

Trees or shrubs, deciduous or evergreen, aromatic. Pith homogeneous or diaphragmed. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate; stipules early or tardily deciduous, at first surrounding stem, adnate on adaxial side of petiole (free in Magnolia grandiflora ), often ochreate, leaving persistent annular scar around node. Leaf blade pinnately veined, unlobed (or evenly 2-10-lobed in Liriodendron ), margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, solitary flowers (often paired in Magnolia ashei ), pedunculate; spathaceous bracts 2 (Magnolia ) or 1 (Liriodendron ) . Flowers: perianth hypogynous, segments imbricate; tepals deciduous, 6-18, in 3 or more whorls of 3, ± similar or outer tepals sepaloid, inner tepals petaloid; stamens numerous, hypogynous, free, spirally arranged; filaments very short to 1/2 length of anthers; anthers introrse, latrorse, or extrorse, longitudinally dehiscent; connective with distal appendage; pistils numerous, superior, spirally arranged on elongate receptacle (torus), stalked or sessile, free or ±concrescent, 1-locular; placentation marginal, placenta 1; ovules 1-2; style 1, short and recurved (Magnolia ) or large and winglike (Liriodendron ) ; stigma 1, terminal or terminal decurrent (Magnolia ) or recurved (Liriodendron ) . Fruits conelike syncarps consisting of aggregates of coalescent, woody follicles (follicetums, as in Magnolia ) or apocarps consisting of aggregates of indehiscent samaras (samaracetums, as in Liriodendron ) . Seeds 1-2 per pistil, arillate, endosperm oily (Magnolia ), or without aril, adherent to dry endocarp ( Liriodendron ) .

Genera ca. 6(-12), species ca. 220 (2 genera, 9 species in the flora) : mostly in Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the Western Hemisphere.

Magnoliaceae are pollinated by beetles.

Herbarium material of Magnolia is usually incomplete and inadequate for critical study. Collections should include material of the stipules, spathaceous bracts, a full complement of stamens, and all of the perianth segments to facilitate identification of Magnolia species.^[1]

Genus Magnolia:

Trees or shrubs, deciduous or evergreen. Pith homogeneous or diaphragmed. Leaves distinctly alternate or sometimes crowded in terminal whorl-like clusters; stipules early deciduous, free or adnate to and proximal on petiole. Leaf blade: base deeply cordate or auriculate or cuneate to abruptly narrowed or rounded, margins entire, apex obtuse or acute to acuminate; surfaces abaxially chalky white or green to glaucous, pubescent or glabrous. Flowers protogynous, appearing with or before leaves; tepals 9-15, petaloid, usually spreading, creamy white, rarely greenish, yellow, or orange-yellow, outermost tepals sepaloid, sometimes strongly reflexed, greenish; stamens on elongate torus, early deciduous; filaments white or purple, very short; anthers introrse or latrorse. Follicles persistent, coalescent, forming conelike aggregate, abaxially dehiscent. Seeds with red, pink, or orange oily aril, extruded from follicles and suspended by funiculi. x =19.

Species ca. 120: temperate and tropical regions, Western Hemisphere, Asia (Himalayas, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia) .^[2]

Habit: Pyramidal

Flowers: Bloom Period: January, February. • Flower Color: White • Flower Conspicuous: Large, cup shaped

Foliage: Large, leathery, glossy • Foliage Shape: Ovate • Normal foliage color: Green • Underside foliage: Green • Juvenile foliage: Green • Mature foliage: Green • New foliage: Green • Spring foliage: Green • Summer foliage: Green • Fall foliage: Green • Winter foliage: Green

Distribution

Landscaping

Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Watering can be reduced after establishment. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring.

Growth

Culture: Space 30-40' apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 6.5

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sun

Moisture: Water Requirements: Water regularly, when top 3 in. of soil is dry.

Temperature: Heat Zones: High: 9 (>120 to 150 days) Low:3 (>7 to 14 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: High:9 (20 to 30 F) Low:7 (0 to 10 F) (map)

Similar Species

Members of the genus Magnolia:

There are approximately 1,095 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: M. tsiampacca tsiampacca · M. alba · M. brooklynensis · M. gotoburgensis · M. highdownensis · M. hybrida · M. kewensis · M. lenneana · M. lennei · M. loebneri · M. norbertiana · M. proctoriana · M. slavinii · M. soulangeana · M. speciosa · M. thompsoniana · M. veitchii · M. 'Advance' · M. 'Albatross' · M. 'Alixeed' · M. 'Ambrosia' · M. 'Andre Harvey' · M. 'Anilou' · M. 'Ann' (Ann Magnolia) · M. 'Anne Rosse' · M. 'Anticipation' (Anticipation Magnolia) · M. 'Apollo' · M. 'Asian Artistry' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Athene' (Magnolia) · M. 'Atlas' · M. 'Banana Split' · M. 'Betty' (Betty Magnolia) · M. 'Big Dude' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Black Beauty' · M. 'Black Tulip' · M. 'Blushing Belle' · M. 'Butterflies' · M. 'Caerhays Belle' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Caerhays New Purple' · M. 'Caerhays Surprise' · M. 'Candy Cane' · M. 'Captain McEacharn' · M. 'Cathryn' · M. 'Cecil Nice' · M. 'Chang Hua' · M. 'Charles Coates' (Magnolia) · M. 'Columbus' · M. 'Coral Lake' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Coral' · M. 'Cream Mist' · M. 'Cup Cake' · M. 'Daphne' · M. 'Dark Shadow' · M. 'Darrell Dean' · M. 'David Clulow' · M. 'Daybreak' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Editor Hopkins' · M. 'Elisa Odenwald' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Elisabeth Holman' · M. 'Elizabeth' (Elizabeth Magnolia) · M. 'Emma Cook' · M. 'Eskimo' · M. 'Felicity' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Felix Jury' · M. 'Fireglow' · M. 'Flamingo' · M. 'Fourteen Carat' · M. 'Frank Gladney' · M. 'Frank's Masterpiece' · M. 'Freeman' · M. 'Full Eclipse' · M. 'George Henry Kern' · M. 'Glow' · M. 'Gold Crown' (Cucumber Magnolia) · M. 'Gold Star' · M. 'Golden Endeavour' · M. 'Golden Gift' · M. 'Golden Goblet' · M. 'Golden Pond' · M. 'Golden Rain' · M. 'Golden Sun' · M. 'Goldfinch' (Cucumber Magnolia) · M. 'Green Bee' · M. 'Green Mist' · M. 'Green Snow' · M. 'Hattie Carthan' (Deciduous Magnolia) · M. 'Hawk' · M. 'Heaven Scent' (Magnolia) · M. 'Helen Fogg' · M. 'Honey Liz' · M. 'Hong Yur' · M. 'Hot Flash' · M. 'Hot Lips' · M. 'Ian's Red' · M. 'Indian Tapestry' · M. 'Iolanthe' · M. 'Iolanthe' × · M. 'J.C. Williams' · M. 'Jane' (Jane Magnolia) · M. 'Jersey Belle'

Bibliography

• Callaway, D.J. 1994. The World of Magnolias. Portland.
• Canright, J. E. 1960. The comparative morphology and relationships of the Magnoliaceae. III. Carpels. Amer. J. Bot. 47(2): 145-155.
• Coker, W.C. 1943. Magnolia cordata Michaux. J.Elisha Mitchell Sci. Soc. 59: 81-88.
• Dandy, J.E. Notes on Magnolia and related genera. Unpublished manuscript. Botany Department, The Natural History Museum. London.
• Demuth, P. and F. S. Santamour Jr. 1978. Carotenoid flower pigments in Liriodendron and Magnolia. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 105(1): 65-66.
• Hardin, J. W. and K. A. Jones. 1989. Atlas of foliar surface features in woody plants, X. Magnoliaceae of the United States. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 116(2): 164-173.
• Heiser, C.B. 1962. Some observations on pollination and compatibility in Magnolia. Proc. Indiana Acad. Sci. 72: 259-266.
• Johnson, D.L. 1989. Species and Cultivars of the Genus Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) Cultivated in the United States. M.S. thesis. Cornell University.
• Johnson, D.L. 1989b. Nomenclatural changes in Magnolia. Baileya 23(1): 55-56.
• McDaniel, J.C. 1966. Variations in the sweet bay magnolias.
• Millais, J.G. 1927. Magnolias. London. Rockwell, H.C. 1966. The Genus Magnolia in the United States. M.S. thesis. West Virginia University.
• Morris Arbor. Bull. 17(1): 7-12.
• Nooteboom, J. P. 1985. Notes on Magnoliaceae. Blumea 31: 65-121.
• Praglowski, J. 1974. Magnoliaceae Juss. Taxonomy by J. E. Dandy. World Pollen Spore Fl. 3: 1-48.
• Santamour, F.S.Jr. 1969b. Cytology of Magnolia hybrids. I. Morris Arbor. Bull. 20(4): 63-65.
• Sargent, C. S. 1890-1902. The Silva of North America.... 14 vols. Boston and New York. Vol. 1, pp. 1-20.
• Spongberg, S. A. 1976. Magnoliaceae hardy in temperate North America. J. Arnold Arbor. 57: 250-312.
• Thien, L.B. 1974. Floral biology of Magnolia. Amer. J. Bot. 61(10): 1037-1045.
• Thien, L.B., W.H. Heimermann, and R.T. Holman. 1975. Floral odors and quantitative taxonomy of Magnolia and Liriodendron. Taxon 24(5/6): 557-568.
• Tobe, J.D. 1993. A Molecular Systematic Study of Eastern North American Species of Magnolia L. Ph.D. thesis. Clemson University. Treseder, N.G. 1978. Magnolias. Boston.
• Vázquez-G., J.A. 1990. Taxonomy of the Genus Magnolia in Mexico and Central America. M.S. thesis. University of Wisconsin.
• Vázquez-G., J.A. 1994. Magnolia (Magnoliaceae) in Mexico and Central America: A synopsis. Brittonia 46(1): 1-23.
• Wood, C. E. Jr. 1958. The genera of the woody Ranales in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 39: 296-346.

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Notes

Contributors:

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 19, 2007.

Identifiers:

• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 710262

Footnotes:

1. Frederick G. Meyer "Magnoliaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.
2. Christopher H. Haufler, Michael D. Windham, Frank A. Lang, S. A. Whitmore "Magnolia". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org.