Magnolia figo (Lour.) DC.
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Article from New Trees, Ross Bayton & John Grimshaw
New Trees
Magnolia figo(Lour.) DC.
Synonyms: Michelia figo (Lour.) Spreng., Michelia amoena Q.F. Zheng & M.M. Lin
This species was described by Bean (B738), who called it a ‘cheerful evergreen’ and assessed it as hardy in the milder parts of the British Isles. Several varieties have since been recognised, however, and a key for these is presented below. Recent selections available in commerce include ‘Port Wine’, ‘Purple Queen’, and ‘Stubbs Purple’ with a strong purplish suffusion through the tepals. ‘Stubbs Purple’ is said to be hardier than most (Eisenhut 2008). It is not clear if these darker-flowered cultivars are referable to var. figo or var. crassipes. The taxonomy of the plant formerly known as Michelia skin-neriana is dubious (see below) but it is horticulturally distinct, and the name Magnolia figo Skinneriana Group is provided here to recognise these differences.
1a. | Shrub or tree to 5 m tall; leaves 7–13 × 2.5–4 cm with 6–9 pairs of lateral veins; brachyblast 0.3–0.4 cm long; flowers purple or reddish purple with thin tepals 1.8–2 cm long, gynoecium shorter than androecium; China (north Guangdong, northeast Guangxi) | var. crassipes |
1b. | Shrub or tree to 15 m tall; leaves 2–12 × 1.5–4.5 cm with 7–13 pairs of lateral veins; brachyblast 0.4–2.7 cm long; flowers white or yellow with thick tepals 1.5–2.5 cm long, gynoecium longer than androecium | 2 |
2a. | Branchlets dark grey to brown; leaves with 7–12 pairs of lateral veins; China (Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Zhejiang) | var. figo |
2b. | Branchlets tan to tawny; leaves with 10–13 pairs of lateral veins; China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang) | Skinneriana Group |
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'Magnolia figo' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
Genus
- Magnolia
- Subgen. Yulania, Sect. Michelia
Synonyms
- Michelia figo (Lour.) Spreng.
- Michelia amoena Q.F. Zheng & M.M. Lin
Infraspecifics
Other species in genus
- Magnolia acuminata
- Magnolia × alba
- Magnolia amoena
- Magnolia aromatica
- Magnolia biondii
- Magnolia campbellii
- Magnolia cathcartii
- Magnolia cavaleriei
- Magnolia champaca
- Magnolia chapensis
- Magnolia conifera
- Magnolia cordata
- Magnolia cylindrica
- Magnolia dawsoniana
- Magnolia decidua
- Magnolia delavayi
- Magnolia denudata
- Magnolia duclouxii
- Magnolia ernestii
- Magnolia floribunda
- Magnolia × foggii
- Magnolia fordiana
- Magnolia foveolata
- Magnolia fraseri
- Magnolia fulva
- Magnolia globosa
- Magnolia grandiflora
- Magnolia grandis
- Magnolia: Gresham
- Magnolia heptapeta
- Magnolia hypoleuca
- Magnolia kobus
- Magnolia kwangtungensis
- Magnolia laevifolia
- Magnolia lanuginosa
- Magnolia liliiflora
- Magnolia × loebneri
- Magnolia lotungensis
- Magnolia macclurei
- Magnolia macrophylla
- Magnolia martinii
- Magnolia maudiae
- Magnolia megaphylla
- Magnolia nitida
- Magnolia obovata
- Magnolia officinalis
- Magnolia opipara
- Magnolia pyramidata
- Magnolia quinquepeta
- Magnolia rostrata
- Magnolia salicifolia
- Magnolia sargentiana
- Magnolia sieboldii
- Magnolia sinensis
- Magnolia sinica
- Magnolia × soulangiana
- Magnolia sprengeri
- Magnolia stellata
- Magnolia tamaulipana
- Magnolia × thompsoniana
- Magnolia tripetala
- Magnolia × veitchii
- Magnolia virginiana
- Magnolia × watsonii
- Magnolia × wieseneri
- Magnolia wilsonii
- Magnolia yunnanensis
- Magnolia yuyuanensis
- Magnolia zenii
This species was described by Bean (B738), who called it a ‘cheerful evergreen’ and assessed it as hardy in the milder parts of the British Isles. Several varieties have since been recognised, however, and a key for these is presented below. Recent selections available in commerce include ‘Port Wine’, ‘Purple Queen’, and ‘Stubbs Purple’ with a strong purplish suffusion through the tepals. ‘Stubbs Purple’ is said to be hardier than most (Eisenhut 2008). It is not clear if these darker-flowered cultivars are referable to var. figo or var. crassipes. The taxonomy of the plant formerly known as Michelia skin-neriana is dubious (see below) but it is horticulturally distinct, and the name Magnolia figo Skinneriana Group is provided here to recognise these differences.
1a. | Shrub or tree to 5 m tall; leaves 7–13 × 2.5–4 cm with 6–9 pairs of lateral veins; brachyblast 0.3–0.4 cm long; flowers purple or reddish purple with thin tepals 1.8–2 cm long, gynoecium shorter than androecium; China (north Guangdong, northeast Guangxi) | var. crassipes |
1b. | Shrub or tree to 15 m tall; leaves 2–12 × 1.5–4.5 cm with 7–13 pairs of lateral veins; brachyblast 0.4–2.7 cm long; flowers white or yellow with thick tepals 1.5–2.5 cm long, gynoecium longer than androecium | 2 |
2a. | Branchlets dark grey to brown; leaves with 7–12 pairs of lateral veins; China (Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Zhejiang) | var. figo |
2b. | Branchlets tan to tawny; leaves with 10–13 pairs of lateral veins; China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang) | Skinneriana Group |
var. crassipes (Y.W. Law) Figlar & Noot.
Synonyms
Michelia crassipes Y.W. Law
Var. crassipes appears to be reasonably distinct from typical Magnolia figo, as its flowers are a different colour (purple, vs. creamy white or yellow in var. figo) and it forms a small tree of 5 m or less. It also has a short, stout brachyblast and fewer lateral veins in the leaves. Figlar 2005b. Distribution CHINA: northern Guangdong, northeast Guangxi, southern Hunan. Habitat Forests between 300 and 700 m asl. USDA Hardiness Zone 7b. Conservation status Not evaluated. Illustration Liu et al. 2004; NT488.
In addition to the botanical distinctions noted above, var. crassipes has certain horticultural differences that make it more useful in the garden than var. figo. Most valuable of these is that its flowers last for two to three days, instead of one, and are a good dark red. The plant itself tends to be of denser habit and has thicker leaves.
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