Magnolia nilagirica

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Magnolia nilagirica
Magnolia nilagirica.JPG
Inflorescence and leaves of Magnolia nilagirica
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Subgenus: Magnolia subg. Yulania
Section: Magnolia sect. Michelia
Subsection: Magnolia subsect. Michelia
Species:
M. nilagirica
Binomial name
Magnolia nilagirica
Synonyms [1]
  • Michelia glauca Wight
  • M. nilagiricaZenker (basionym)
  • M. n. var. walkeri(Wight) Hook.f. & Thomson
  • M. n. var. wightiiHook.f. & Thomson
  • M. ovalifoliaWight
  • M. pulneyensisWight
  • M. walkeriWight
  • Sampacca nilagirica(Zenker) Kuntze

Magnolia nilagirica is a species of plant in the family Magnoliaceae. It is a tree that is threatened by habitat loss, endemic to the Western Ghats of India (including Agastya Mala, the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, the Anaimalai and Palni Hills, the Nilgiri mountains, and Baba Budangiri), [2] and also Sri Lanka. [1]

Contents

Description

A large tree; bark is brown with grey highlights and presents a cracked appearance. Leaves measure 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) × 2–4 cm (0.79–1.57 in) and are elliptic with both ends tapering. Flower petals are white, measuring about 7.5–10 cm (3.0–3.9 in) across; sepals measure between 9–12 cm (3.5–4.7 in), narrow at their innermost, and ever broader as they approach the outermost perimeter; carpels are sessile. Fruits measure 5–8 cm (2.0–3.1 in) in length, with many warty yellow follicles each about 1.5 cm (0.59 in) long, containing 1 to 2 scarlet seeds. [3]

Botanical classification

Magnolia nilagirica was originally described and published under the name Michelia nilagirica (the basionym) by Jonathan Carl Zenker (1799–1837) in Plantae Indicae, quas in montibus , 2: 21, t. 20. 1836. [4] In 2000 it was reclassified under the genus Magnolia by Richard B. Figlar (In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Family Magnoliaceae, 23. 2000. Guangzhou, China). [5]

Ecological vulnerability

Due to this tree's excellent wood quality, it is under severe threat of being over-logged. In general, the forests in which it grows are rapidly being harvested, at a faster pace than is needed to allow the forests a chance to regrow; it is estimated that this species in particular has lost 40% of its wild growing population during a period of about 180 years. The IUCN (2015) has determined that no improvements have been implemented to halt this pace of deforestation, and therefore have assessed its status as "vulnerable". [1] IUCN has not determined whether the stands of trees are becoming fragmented from within, or are more or less shrinking in area from the perimeter of their ranges. [1]

Vernacular names

This tree is known by different common names in various languages of India, as shown below: [6]

Related Research Articles

Magnoliaceae Family of flowering plants

The Magnoliaceae are a flowering plant family, the magnolia family, in the order Magnoliales. It consists of two subfamilies: Magnolioideae, of which Magnolia is the best-known genus, and Liriodendroidae, a monogeneric subfamily, of which Liriodendron is the only genus.

<i>Magnolia</i> Genus of angiosperms

Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.

<i>Liriodendron</i> Genus of trees

Liriodendron is a genus of two species of characteristically large trees, deciduous over most of their populations, in the magnolia family (Magnoliaceae).

South Western Ghats montane rain forests

The South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an ecoregion of southern India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats range in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, at elevations over 1000 meters. They are cooler and wetter than the lower-elevation South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests, which surround the montane rain forests.

<i>Michelia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Michelia is a historical genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family (Magnoliaceae). The genus included about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia (Indomalaya), including southern China. Today it is regarded as a synonym of Magnolia.

<i>Magnolia tripetala</i> Species of tree

Magnolia tripetala, commonly called umbrella magnolia or simply umbrella-tree, is a deciduous tree native to the eastern United States in the Appalachian Mountains, the Ozarks, and the Ouachita Mountains. The name "umbrella tree" derives from the fact that the large leaves are clustered at the tips of the branches forming an umbrella-shaped structure.

Shola Patches of stunted tropical montane forest found in valleys in the higher montane regions of South India

Sholas are the local name for patches of stunted tropical montane forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India, largely in Kerala. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating montane grassland. The shola and grassland together form the shola-grassland complex or mosaic. The word 'Shola' is probably derived from the Tamil language word cÕlai (சோலை) meaning grove.

<i>Magnolia champaca</i> Species of tree

Magnolia champaca, known in English as champak, is a large evergreen tree in the family Magnoliaceae. It was previously classified as Michelia champaca. It is known for its fragrant flowers, and its timber used in woodworking.

Magnolia guatapensis is a species of plant in the family Magnoliaceae. It is endemic to Colombia. Common names include: almanegra, almanegra de Guatapé.

Magnolia wolfii is a tree species in the family Magnoliaceae. It is endemic to Colombia. The species is recorded only from one locality in Risaralda Department. The species is being investigated by a conservation and propagation research program implemented by the Technological University of Pereira, with the support of Botanic Gardens Conservation International.

Michelia coriacea is a species of flowering plant in the family Magnoliaceae. It is native to China and Vietnam. There are no more than about 500 individuals remaining of this endangered species.

Magnolia dixonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Magnoliaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador. It is known commonly as cucharillo.

Nilgiri long-tailed tree mouse Species of rodent

Nilgiri vandeleuria, also known as the Nilgiri long-tailed tree mouse and the Indian long-tailed tree mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. There has been some dispute as to whether this specimen is actually a subspecies of the Asiatic long-tailed climbing mouse but current opinion seems to suggest that it is indeed a separate species. It is found in India.

Magnolia rimachii is a small to medium-sized tree of the family Magnoliaceae commonly reaching 8 to 15 m high. It is found in the western lowland Amazon Basin tropical forest, in Ecuador and Peru, between 140–500 metres (460–1,640 ft) in elevation.

<i>Garcinia indica</i> Species of tree

Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), commonly known as kokum, is a fruit-bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses.

<i>Coscinium fenestratum</i> Species of flowering plant

Coscinium fenestratum, or yellow vine as it is sometimes referred to in English, is a flowering woody climber, native to South Asia and Mainland Southeast Asia. It is rare and critically endangered in many of its habitats.

<i>Magnolia liliifera</i> Species of tree

Magnolia liliifera, commonly known as egg magnolia, is a flowering tree native to the Indomalayan realm. It bears white to cream-colored flowers on terminal stems. The leaves are elliptical and get as large as 10 inches long and 3 inches wide. The tree ranges in height of 12–60 feet in situ.

Magnolia sulawesiana is a large evergreen tree of the family Magnoliaceae that grows in tropical montane forests on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

<i>Xerochlamys elliptica</i> Species of tree

Xerochlamys elliptica is a tree in the family Sarcolaenaceae. It is endemic to Madagascar.

Helicia nilagirica is a tree of the Proteaceae family. It grows from Thailand across Mainland Southeast Asia to Yunnan, Zhōngguó/China and over to Nepal. It is a source of wood, a pioneer reafforestation taxa, and an ethnomedicinal plant.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haridasan, K., Ved, D., Saha, D. & Ravikumar, K. (assessed: 16 July 2014) (2015). "Magnolia nilagirica in IUCN 2015". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.3. 2015. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T15114888A15114897.en . Red List Category & Criteria: Vulnerable A2cd ver 3.1CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. "Michelia nilagirica Zenk. - MAGNOLIACEAE". BIOTIK. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  3. S.G. Neginhal (2011). Forest trees of the Western Ghats : includes Eastern Ghats and Deccan Plateau. Bangalore : S.G. Neginhal.
  4. "Name - Michelia nilagirica Zenk". Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden . Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  5. "Name - Magnolia nilagirica (Zenk.) Figlar". Tropicos. Saint Louis, Missouri: Missouri Botanical Garden . Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  6. D.K. Ved; Suma Tagadur Sureshchandra; Vijay Barve; Vijay Srinivas; Sathya Sangeetha; K. Ravikumar; R. Kartikeyan; Vaibhav Kulkarni; Ajith S. Kumar; S.N. Venugopal; B.S. Somashekhar; M.V. Sumanth; Sugandhi Rani; K.V. Surekha; Nikhil Desale, eds. (2014). "Plant details for Michelia nilagirica". Bangalore, India: Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions's Environmental Information System Centre on Medicinal Plants. Retrieved 26 September 2015.