Laboratory and field identification of
important forestry species using
vegetative and reproductive
characteristics of Magnoliaceae
Genera and Distribution
A Primitive Family of Flowering Plants.
The family has approximately 225 species in 7 genera.
36 species in India.
Distributed in North America, Mexico and Central America, the
West Indies, tropical South America, southern and eastern
India, Sri Lanka, Indochina, Malaysia, China, Japan and Korea.
Diagnostic features
Tall trees or shrubs
Leaves leathery, Simple, alternate and stipulate
Flower solitary, large
Sepals and petals alike
Stamens and carpels many and free
Fruit aggregate follicle or berry
Ripe carpels separated on an elongated torus.
Phylogenetic Position
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division : Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class : Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass : Magnoliidae
Order : Magnoliales
Family : Magnoliaceae – Magnolia family
Kingdom : Plantae
Class : Magnoliids
Order : Magnoliales
Family : Magnoliaceae Juss.
Subfamily : Magnolioideae
Tribe :Magnolieae
• Kmeria (5 species)
Phylogenetic Position • Magnolia (128 species)
• Manglietia (29 species)
• Pachylarnax (2 species)
•Tribe :Michelieae
• Elmerrillia (4 species)
• Michelia (49 species)
Subfamily :Liriodendroidae
• Liriodendron (2 species)
Phenology - Habit
Trees or less often shrubs
Aromatic with ethereal oil cells
Phenology - Leaves
Alternate, simple, entire or lobed at tip
Stipules and scars surrounding twigs
Phenology - Inflorescences
Flowers solitary
Terminal
Phenology - Flowers
Perfect, large, actinomorphic
Numerous spirally arranged parts
No adnation or connation
Anthers laminar
Gynoecium apocarpous
Ovary superior
Placentation marginal
Phenology - Fruits
An aggregate of follicles or samaras
Seeds often surrounded by a fleshy aril
Phenology - Seeds
Seeds 1–12 per fruiting carpel
Testa fleshy
Endosperm copious (with Food Storing tissue)
Oily
Floral Formula and Diagrams
Spot Characters
Tall trees with straight boles and showy flowers
Stipules leaves a scar on the twig after they fall
Fruits is an aggregate of follicles
Seedslarge, suspended by a silky thread like
funiculus
Key to genera
Ovary stalked ---------------- Michelia
Ovary sessile ----------------- Magnolia
Michelia
50 species
Evergreen trees and shrubs
Native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia
(Indomalaya), including southern China.
The leaves, flowers, and form of Michelia resemble Magnolia, but the
blossoms of Michelia generally form clusters among the leaves, rather
than singly at the branch ends like Magnolia.
Important Species is Michelia champaca
Michelia champaca - Habit
Trees
Buttressed
Up to 30 m tall.
Michelia champaca - Trunk & Bark
Bark grey
Lenticellate
Blaze cream with orange speckles.
Michelia champaca - Leaves
Simple, alternate, spiral
Petiole 1-3 cm long, stout
Elliptic-lanceolate
Apex acuminate with twisted acumen
Margin slightly undulate, glabrous
Midrib nearly flat above
Secondary nerves 12-16 pairs
Tertiary nerves closely and strongly reticulate.
Michelia champaca - Inflorescence /
Flower
Flowers solitary
Axillary, large, yellow,
fragrant.
Bracteate. Bracteolate,
Pedicellate, Spirocyclic,
Actinomorphic, Bisexual,
Hypogynous, Large and fragrent
Calyx: 4 Sepals, Polysepalous, green
Corolla: 12 Petals, Polypetalous, 3 whorls of 4 each, Outer whorl
valvate and inner whorls twisted; Large, Pale yellow and deciduous.
Reproductive parts
Androecium: Indefinite number of stamens, Polyandrous,
Spirally arranged on thalamus, Filaments short, Anthers
basifixed
Gynoecium: Multicarpellary, Apocarpous, Arranged spirally
on conical thalamus, Ovary superior, Unilocular with
marginal placentation, Style curved and stigma beaked.
Michelia champaca - Fruit and Seed
Follicles
Arranged as spike
Seeds 2–4 per carpel
Uses
M. champaca and M. doltsopa are grown for their
flowers, both on the tree and as cut flowers.
Champak flowers are also used to produce an
essential oil for perfume.
Larger individuals are locally important sources of
timber.
The heartwood is strong and durable and takes high
polish and is valued as furniture wood.
Magnolia
Magnolia is an ancient genus with 210 species
Important Species is Magnolia grandiflora
The natural range of Magnolia species is East and
Southeast Asia and a secondary centre in Eastern North
America, Central America, the West Indies, and some
species in South America.
Magnolia grandiflora
Evergreen
Dense
Conical shape
Symmetrical
27.5 m (90 ft) tall
Magnolia grandiflora - Leaf
The leaves are simple and broadly
ovate
Alternate
Simple
Dark green leathery leaves
Magnolia grandiflora - Flower/Fruit
Fragrant
Creamy white flowers in summer
Bright red seeds in fall
Uses
M. grandiflora is an American ornamental tree cultivated
in gardens.
The bark from M. officinalis has long been used in
traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as houpu.
The aromatic bark of M. obovata contains magnolol and
honokiol, two polyphenolic compounds that have
demonstrated anti-anxiety and anti-angiogenic properties.
Magnolia bark also has been shown to reduce allergic and
asthmatic reactions
Liriodendron
Liriodendron is a genus with two species known as
Tulip tree.
Liriodendron tulipifera is native to eastern North
America, while Liriodendron chinense is native to
China and Vietnam.
Both species are large deciduous trees
Liriodendron tulipifera
Tulip tree.
This longitudinal section of the flower
shows the greatly elongated floral axis
with distinct pistils.
In this case the pistils will develop into
samaras.
Liriodendron tulipifera
Habit: Deciduous
Form: Tall, straight trunk; upper branches
create a rounded crown; in an open landscape
has more upright, oval shape
Leaf : Alternate, simple leaves with short
lobes; clear yellow to yellow green fall color
Flower/Fruit: Yellowish green and orange, cup
shaped upright, fragrant flowers in late spring
Uses
A tall ornamental and timber tree with sweetly scented
flowers.
Tulip tree wood is fine grained and stable.
The wood, known as Canary white wood, is used in
cabinet work.
It is easy to work and commonly used for cabinet and
furniture framing.
The wood is only moderately rot resistant, and is not
commonly used in ship building, but has found some
recent use in light craft construction.
Other economically important species
Alcimandra cathcartii (Michelia cathcartil) - occurs in
Darjeeling. Wood is good for indoor work.
lllicium anisatum — Star-anise, is an evergreen shrub.
Seeds are used medicinally and in spices.
Manglietia hookeri is found in evergreen forests of Assam
and yields furniture quality wood.
Economic Importance
Timber : Liriodendron tulipifera Planks, tea boxes, cabinet work, aircrafts
Michelia champaca Furniture, carriage, building, house
construction, polishes well
M. nilagirica Railway sleepers
M. doltsopa Construction, furniture, aircraft, etc.
Magnolia campbelli Tea chests
Pulpwood : Magnolia grandiflora Unbleached pulp
Ornamental : Liriodendron tulipifera Handsome foliage
Medicinal : Drimys winteri Source of winters bark which is used as an
astringent (contracts body tissues and
checks secretions) and stimulant
L. tulipifera Bark of root, trunk and branches is bitter
tonic, febrifuge (reducing fever),
restorative and also used in rheumatism
and dyspepsia (indigestion)
Magnolia denudata Bitter aromatic buds and seeds are
considered medicinal
M. grandiflora Bark is a stimulant, aromatic and tonic,
used for malaria and rheumatism
M. montana Bark is used as tonic in fever
Others : M. champaca Oil obtained from flowers is
used in perfumery
M. nilagirica Bark yields essential oil
M. fuscata Flowers are used for
scenting hair oil
Important Trees and their
Nativity
Drimys winteri : North America
Liriodendron tulipifera : North America
Magnolia campbellii : India
M. denudata : China
M. grandiflora : N. America
Michelia spp. : India
