Magnoliaceae

Magnoliaceae, magnolia family of the order Magnoliales that contains at least two genera and nearly 250 species, including many handsome, fragrant-flowering trees and shrubs. Most have simple leaves and an elongated conelike floral axis with flowers that have six tepals (sepals and petals that are not distinctly different), many spirally arranged stamens, and one, two, or many carpels (female reproductive structures). The seeds of many species hang by threads from the conelike fruits. In most...