Magnolia macrophylla
Magnoliaceae
bigleaf magnolia
composite family
and foliar buds silky-pubescent.
blade broadly elliptic to obovate-oblong, 50-110 × 15-30 cm, base truncate to deeply cordate or auriculate, apex acute to short-acuminate or obtuse;
surfaces abaxially chalky white, sometimes pale green to glaucous, pilose, adaxially deep green, glabrous.
blade pinnately veined, unlobed (or evenly 2-10-lobed in Liriodendron), margins entire.
terminal, solitary flowers (often paired in Magnolia ashei), pedunculate; spathaceous bracts 2 (Magnolia) or 1 (Liriodendron).
solitary, fragrant, 35-40(-50) cm across; spathaceous bracts 2, outer bract abaxially rusty gray, inner bract thinner, glabrous;
tepals creamy white, glandular, innermost whorl purple-blotched at base, outermost segments strongly reflexed, greenish;
stamens (300-)350-580, 12.5-24.5 mm;
filaments white;
pistils 50-80.
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).
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).
± ovoid, 10-12 mm, pointed, aril orange-red.
1-2 per pistil, arillate, endosperm oily (Magnolia), or without aril, adherent to dry endocarp (Liriodendron).
homogeneous.
homogeneous or diaphragmed.
globose-ovoid, 5-8 × 5-7 cm;
follicles short-beaked, distally appressed silky-pubescent.
=38.
Magnolia macrophylla
Magnoliaceae
The disposition of Magnolia macrophylla and its close relative M. ashei has been perplexing since M. ashei was described. Some investigators have treated them as geographic varieties or subspecies, and this has some questionable merit. In the foliar state M. macrophylla is hardly, if at all, distinguishable from M. ashei, but in other morphologic details of flower and fruit, they are readily distinguished. They also differ in the floral odors, which are distinct and chemically different (L.B. Thien et al. 197). Magnolia macrophylla and M. ashei are allopatric. Magnolia macrophylla is a much larger, usually single-trunked tree of the piedmont with a wider distribution, larger leaves, more stamens, larger stipules, and both filiform and flagelliform trichomes on the leaves. The follicetum is nearly globose-ovoid, with more pistils and larger seeds. Magnolia macrophylla produces the largest leaves and flowers of any species of the genus.
In Arkansas Magnolia macrophylla was known from a single disjunct locality in Clay County, where only two trees were recorded in 1981 (R.B. Figlar 1981). A survey in 1995 failed to locate the species in the same site.
This handsome tree is occasionally cultivated. A close relative, M. dealbata Zuccarini, occurs in Mexico.
The largest known tree of Magnolia macrophylla, 32m in height with a trunk diameter of 53 cm, is recorded from Daniel Boone National Forest, Tight Hollow, Kentucky (American Forestry Association 1994).
The Cherokee tribe used Magnolia macrophylla, mainly the bark, as an analgesic, antidiarrheal, gastrointestinal aid, respiratory aid, and toothache remedy (D.E. Moerman 1986).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Genera ca. 6(-12), species ca. 220 (2 genera, 9 species in the flora).
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.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaf blade entire, base deeply cordate or auriculate, or cuneate to abruptly narrowed or rounded, apex obtuse or acute to acuminate; stipules adnate on petiole or rarely free, early deciduous; tepals petaloid, usually spreading, creamy white, rarely greenish or yellow to orange-yellow, outermost tepals sepaloid, sometimes reflexed, greenish; anthers introrse or latrorse; follicles persistent, coalescent; seeds with brightly colored aril, extruded from follicles and suspended by funiculi. | Magnolia |
1. Leaf blade evenly 2-10-lobed, base rounded to shallowly cordate or truncate, apex broadly truncate or notched; stipules free, erect, leafy, tardily deciduous; tepals petaloid, tip recurved, greenish yellow with feathered orange band near base, outermost tepals sepaloid, reflexed, green; anthers extrorse; samaras caducous, forming elongate spindle-shaped dry cone, indehiscent; seeds without aril, adherent to dry endocarp. | Liriodendron |
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