Magnolia virginiana, most commonly known as sweetbay magnolia, or merely sweetbay (also laurel magnolia, swampbay, swamp magnolia, white bay, or beaver tree),[3] is a member of the MAGNOLIA family, MAGNOLIACEAE. It was the first magnolia to be scientifically described under modern rules of botanical NOMENCLATURE, and is the TYPE SPECIES of the genus Magnolia; as Magnolia is also the TYPE GENUS of all FLOWERING PLANTS (magnoliophytes), this species in a sense typifies all flowering plants.
TAXONOMY
Magnolia virginiana was one of the many species described by CARL LINNAEUS.
DESCRIPTION
Magnolia virginiana is an EVERGREEN or DECIDUOUS TREE to 30 m (100 ft) tall, native to the lowlands and swamps of the Atlantic coastal plain of the eastern UNITED STATES, from FLORIDA to LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK. Whether it is deciduous or evergreen depends on climate; it is evergreen in areas with milder winters in the south of its range (zone 7 southward), and is semi-evergreen or deciduous further north. The leaves are alternate, simple (not lobed or pinnate), with entire margins, 6–12 cm long, and 3–5 cm wide. The bark is smooth and gray, with the inner bark mildly scented, the scent reminiscent of the BAY LAUREL spice.
The flowers are creamy white, 8–14 cm diameter, with 6-15 petal-like TEPALS. The flowers carry a very strong vanilla scent that can sometimes be noticed several hundred yards away. The fruit is a fused aggregate of follicles, 3–5 cm long, pinkish-red when mature, with the follicles splitting open to release the 1 cm long seeds. The SEEDS are black but covered by a thinly fleshy red coat, which is attractive to some FRUIT-eating BIRDS; these swallow the seeds, digest the red coating, and disperse the seeds in their droppings.