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cucumber-tree

umbrella magnolia, umbrella-tree

Habit Trees, deciduous, single-trunked, to 30 m. Trees, deciduous, often multitrunked, to 15 m.
Bark

dark gray, furrowed.

gray, smooth.

Twigs

and foliar buds silvery-pubescent.

and foliar buds glabrous.

Leaves

blade broadly ovate-elliptic, oblong to oblong-obovate, rarely somewhat rotund, (5-)10-25(-40) × 4-15(-26) cm, base cuneate to truncate or broadly rounded, often somewhat oblique, apex acuminate;

surfaces abaxially pale green to whitish, pilose to nearly glabrous, adaxially green, glabrous or rarely scattered pilose.

blade elliptic-oblong to narrowly obovate, or oblanceolate, (10-)26-57(-70) × (7.2-)10-30 cm, thin, broadest near middle, base cuneate to long-tapered, apex very short to long-acuminate or abruptly acute, rarely apiculate;

surfaces abaxially densely pilose, especially on midvein, adaxially green, glabrous.

Flowers

slightly aromatic, 6-9 cm across; spathaceous bracts 2, abaxially silky-pubescent;

tepals erect, strongly glaucous to greenish or sometimes yellow to orange-yellow, outermost tepals reflexed, much shorter, green;

stamens (50-)60-122(-139), 5-13 mm;

filaments white;

pistils (35-)40-45(-60).

malodorous, 5.5-11 cm across; spathaceous bracts 2, abaxially glandular;

tepals spreading, creamy white, outermost whorl sepaloid, reflexed, greenish;

stamens 81-103(-115), 8-17 mm;

filaments purple;

pistils (45-)53-66(-73).

Seeds

heart-shaped, somewhat flattened to somewhat globose, 9-10 mm, smooth, aril reddish orange.

lenticular to nearly ovoid, 9-12 mm, aril deep pink to red.

Pith

homogeneous.

homogeneous.

Follicetums

oblong-cylindric, often asymmetric, 2-7 × 0.8-2.7 cm;

follicles short-beaked, glabrous.

cylindric to ovoid-cylindric, 6-10 × 2-3.5 cm;

follicles long-beaked, glabrous.

2n

=76.

=38.

Magnolia acuminata

Magnolia tripetala

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering spring.
Habitat Rich woods, slopes, and ravines, often along streams Rich woods and ravines, mainly in uplands, rarely coastal plain
Elevation 0–1400 m (0–4600 ft) 0-1065m (0-3500ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV; ON
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; IN; KY; MD; MS; NC; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

The vernacular name, cucumber-tree, alludes to the resemblance of the follicetum to the young fruit of cucumber. It is the only magnolia species in the flora that occurs naturally in Canada.

Studies of Magnolia acuminata have failed to reconcile the nature of variation in this widespread species. In an attempt to settle differences in variation patterns, J.W. Hardin (1954) recognized four infraspecific taxa in M. acuminata. Later (1972, 1989) Hardin abandoned his earlier views for a more conservative stance, stating that variation in M. acuminata lacked any consistent pattern or geographic correlation. This is the view taken here–no infraspecific taxa are accepted for M. acuminata at this time. Its flowers are normally greenish and glaucous or sometimes yellow to orange-yellow, less showy than those of other magnolias in the flora. In southern areas, trees with yellow to orange-yellow flowers (originally described by Michaux as M. cordata) occur in North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and perhaps elsewhere, together with trees that bear normal greenish flowers. Both filiform and flagelliform trichomes occur on the leaves; cylindric trichomes also occur.

Magnolia acuminata is of value to horticulturists because no other species of the genus has yellow tepals. Magnolia acuminata contains major quantities of xanthophyll lutein-5,6-epoxide and, in smaller amounts, acarotene-5,6-epoxide. Although this carotenoid occurs randomly throughout populations of M. acuminata, often it is masked by chlorophyll and not visibly expressed. Sometimes the carotenoid pigment shows through, as in the hybrid M. acuminata × M. denudata 'Elizabeth'. In that cross the M. acuminata parent tree was a nondescript plant with greenish flowers; yet out of this hybrid came 'Elizabeth', a stunning plant with light canary yellow flowers, a result completely unexpected. A thorough field study of M. acuminata is clearly warranted, and further investigation of the carotenoid flower pigments is needed to clarify the taxonomy of this widespread tree.

The largest known tree of Magnolia acuminata, 29.6m in height with a trunk diameter of 1.26m, is recorded from a specimen cultivated in Waukon, Iowa (American Forestry Association 1994).

The Cherokee and Iroquois tribes used Magnolia acuminata, largely the bark, as an analgesic, antidiarrheal, gastrointestinal aid, anthelmintic, toothache remedy, and for various other uses (D.E. Moerman 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

In Virginia Magnolia tripetala is a disjunct in the coastal plain.

The malodorous flowers of Magnolia tripetala are uniquely associated with this species. The tree is occasionally cultivated. Both filiform and flagelliform trichomes occur on the leaves. Sometimes cylindric trichomes also occur.

The largest known tree of Magnolia tripetala, 15.2m in height with a trunk diameter of 87 cm, is recorded from Bucks County, Pennsylvania (American Forestry Association 1994).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Magnoliaceae > Magnolia Magnoliaceae > Magnolia
Sibling taxa
M. ashei, M. fraseri, M. grandiflora, M. macrophylla, M. pyramidata, M. tripetala, M. virginiana
M. acuminata, M. ashei, M. fraseri, M. grandiflora, M. macrophylla, M. pyramidata, M. virginiana
Synonyms M. virginiana var. (e) acuminata, Kobus acuminata, M. acuminata var. alabamensis, M. acuminata var. aurea, M. acuminata subsp. cordata, M. acuminata var. cordata, M. acuminata var. ludoviciana, M. acuminata var. ozarkensis, M. acuminata var. subcordata, M. cordata, Tulipastrum acuminatum, Tulipastrum acuminatum var. aureum, Tulipastrum acuminatum var. flavum, Tulipastrum acuminatum var. ludovicianum, Tulipastrum acuminatum var. ozarkense, Tulipastrum americanum, Tulipastrum americanum var. subcordatum, Tulipastrum cordatum M. virginiana var. (d) tripetala, Kobus tripetala, M. frondosa, M. umbrella, M. umbrella var. tripetala
Name authority (Linnaeus) Linnaeus: Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1082. (1759) (Linnaeus) Linnaeus: Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1082. (1759)
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