Magnolia mannii (King) Figlar

Magnolia species are shrubs or trees. Leaves simple, alternate, entire, buds enclosed in large convolute stipules which are connate in pairs, where stipules are free or adnate from petiole. Flowers bisexual, terminal, solitary, Sepals 3-5, Petals 6-21 in 3 series. Stamens numerous, filaments flat with no or little interval between them and carpels, Gynoecium sessile, Carpels many persistant 2 ovuled with stigmas running along their ventral side, rarely more, fruiting carpels few, crowded dehiscing along dorsal or ventral suture, sometimes woody and circumcissile. Fruit with an elongated axis, seeds pendulous with a long cottony cord, 1 or more in each carpel.

Magnolia species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects. Flowering/Fruiting: October-December/April-May.

Seeds dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal or dehiscence.

Evergreen trees, medium sized, wholly grabrous. Branches lenticelled, stipular scars are prominent on the branchlets, buds globose. Leaves simple, alternate, oblanceolate to obovate, 12-18 × 3-10 cm across, base acute, margin entire, apex subacute or shallow mucronate at the tip, firmly coriaceous, not particularly shining, glabrous above, paler sub-glabrous, dull beneath, lateral veins 10-12 on either side of the midrib, prominent on midrib beneath, tertiatries veinlets distinctly reticulate beneath, petiole canaliculated, swollen at the base, about 2-2.5 cm long, stipules oblong. Flowers bisexual, solitary, axillary, appearing with the leaves, white or cream colored, fragrant, about 6-8 cm across, buds about 3 cm long, glabrous, Perianth parts about 9, Sepals 3, linear, 6-8 x 2.5-3.5 cm across, petals 6, oblanceolate, in two rows or series, outer series petal larger than the inner. Stamens numerous, as long as or overtopping the gynoecium, filaments short, anthers about 1.5 cm long, Gynoecium obovoid or ellipsoid, stipitate, about 2 x 1 cm across, carpels about 60, sessile, about 1 x 1 mm across, pale tomentose, style short, stigma recurved, glabrous. Fruiting receptacle 5-10 cm long, ripe carpels ovoid-ellipsoid, compressed, rounded near the base, sparsely lenticellate, about 2.5 cm long, seeds 2, compressed, obovoid.

Susceptible to insect pests.

Evergreen forests.

Wood is used as firewood.