MAGNOLIA, a genus of beautiful trees of the natural order magnoliaeete, having a calyx of 3 sepals, a corolla of 6 to 12 petals, and carpels in spikes arranged in cones, and opening at the dorsal suture. They are natives chiefly of North America, the Himalaya mountains, China, and Japan. The flowers are large and solitary; the leaves large. The wood is iu general soft, spongy, and of little value. .3L grandifora, some times called the BIG LAUREL, has white flowers sometimes a foot in diameter. It is a lofty and magnificent evergreen tree, conspicuous at a great distance, found in the lower districts from North Carolina to tbe gulf of Mexico. It succeeds well as an orna mental tree in the s. of England, but in Scotland requires a wall and some protection hr winter. .M. tripetala is found on the Alleghany mountains, and extends as far n. as lat. 43°. From the radiated manner in which its leaves are disposed at the extremities of the branches, it has received the name of UMBRELLA TREE. It has very large white flowers. It is one of the species most commonly cultivated in Britain, but in Scotland it requireg a wall. M. aeuminata inhabits the same districts, and is a lofty tree with greenish-yellow flowers. It endures the climate of Britain well, but its flowers are not so much admired as those of some of its congeners. M. glauca, a native of Pennsyl vania, Virginia, and Carolina, is known by the names of WHITE BAY, BEAVERWOOD, and Swamr SASSAFRAS. It is a tree or shrub of 15 to 20 ft. in height, with very beautiful and fragrant white flowers. The YuLAN, or Chinese magnolia (H. yulan or conspieua),
has been much cultivated in China for more than 1200 years, on account of its beautiful and fragrant white flowers, which it produces in great profusion. It is one of the finest ornamental trees we possess, and succeeds well in the s. of England, and against a wall in Scotland. It is a deciduous tree, and the flowers expand before the development of the leaves. excelsa, one of the finest species known, is a predominant tree in some parts of the Himalaya mountains, at an elevation of 7,000 or 8,000 ft., the mountains when it is in blossom appearing as sprinkled with snow. M. Campbellii, another native of the satne region, produces great rose-colored flowers, and is described by Dr. Hooker as tlie most superb of the genus. Allied to the genus magnolia is Miehelia, some of the species of which are amongst the most valuable thnber trees of Nepaul, and very orna mental. The bark of some of them is used medicinally, and the frag,rant flowers of a species called champac are the delight of the people of Hindustan. Manglietia is another closely allied genus, to which belong valuable timber trees of Nepaul and of the Indian islands. The natural order magnoliacem is closely allied to ranunculacele, differing chiefly in the arborescent habit, and in the large stipules which envelop the young leaves before they open, but soon fall off. The leaves are simple. Aromatic properties are prevalent. To this order belong the tulip tree, star anise, and winter's lark.