Magnolia dealbata

Magnolia dealbata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Magnoliales
Family: Magnoliaceae
Genus: Magnolia
Subgenus: Magnolia subg. Magnolia
Section: Magnolia sect. Macrophylla
Species:
M. dealbata
Binomial name
Magnolia dealbata
Synonyms
  • Magnolia alejandrae García-Mor. & Iamonico
  • Magnolia macrophylla var. dealbata (Zucc.) D.L.Johnson
  • Magnolia nuevoleonensis A.Vázquez & Domínguez-Yescas
  • Magnolia rzedowskiana A.Vázquez, Domínguez-Yescas & R.Pedraza
  • Magnolia vovidesii A.Vázquez, Domínguez-Yescas & L.Carvajal
  • Magnolia zotictla A.Sánchez-Gonz., Gut.-Lozano & A.Vázquez
  • Metamagnolia alejandrae (García-Mor. & Iamonico) Sima & Hong Yu
  • Metamagnolia dealbata (Zucc.) Sima & S.G.Lu
  • Metamagnolia nuevoleonensis (A.Vázquez & Domínguez-Yescas) Sima & Hong Yu
  • Metamagnolia rzedowskiana (A.Vázquez, Domínguez-Yescas & R.Pedraza) Sima & Hong Yu
  • Metamagnolia vovidesii (A.Vázquez, Domínguez-Yescas & L.Carvajal) Sima & Hong Yu

Magnolia dealbata is a species of flowering plant in the family Magnoliaceae, native to Mexico. It is known commonly as the cloudforest magnolia and eloxochitl. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of Magnolia macrophylla, which is otherwise native to the southeastern United States.

Description

Magnolia dealbata is a deciduous tree, growing to average heights of 25 m tall. Larger individuals can reach 40–50 m in height. The flowers are large and white up to 20 cm long. The leaves are broad, reaching 60 cm length. The most critical difference between M. dealbata and Magnolia macrophylla is that M. macrophylla has 50 to 80 carpels in its fruit, while M. dealbata has 80 to 105, with no overlap of the numbers.

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to cloud forests in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca of northern Oaxaca in eastern Mexico, where it ranges from 600 and 1,900 m elevation. More than ten subpopulations have been observed, and the species' estimated extent of occurrence is 2,750 to 3,000 km2. The largest population includes over a thousand trees.

It grows in humid montane cloud forests, alongside Magnolia oaxacensis, Pinus chiapensis, Quercus laurina, Liquidambar styraciflua, and Clethra sp.

The IUCN Red List considers populations identified as M. dealbata in the Sierra Madre Oriental of Querétaro, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí to belong to recently-described species including Magnolia nuevoleonensis, Magnolia rzedowskiana, and Magnolia vovidesii. Plants of the World Online considers these synonyms of M. dealbata.

The species was once thought to be extinct until being rediscovered in 1977.

Etymology

The name eloxochitl was given to the tree by the Aztecs. It is derived from the Nahuatl word elotl meaning "green ear of corn", and xochitl meaning "flower".

Uses

Magnolia dealbata is cultivated as an ornamental plant, used as a flowering tree in gardens. It is also used for timber, and as a traditional medicinal plant for heart conditions, asthma, and stomach pain. The flowers are used as decorations for spiritual and cultural events.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rivers, M.C. (2016). "Magnolia dealbata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016 e.T88558975A2796189. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T88558975A2796189.en. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Magnolia dealbata Zucc". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
  3. ↑ NRCS. "Magnolia dealbata". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Pattison, Graham (18 October 2022). "Magnolia dealbata" (PDF). Magnolia Society.
  5. 1 2 Corral-Aguirre, Juan; Sánchez-Velásquez, Lázaro Rafae (12 April 2006). "Seed ecology and germination treatments in Magnolia dealbata: An endangered species". Flora - Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants. 201 (3): 227–232. Bibcode:2006FMDFE.201..227C. doi:10.1016/j.flora.2005.07.004.
  6. ↑ Grímsson, Friđgeir; Meller, Barbara; Bouchal, Johannes M.; Zetter, Reinhard (3 April 2015). "Combined LM and SEM study of the middle Miocene (Sarmatian) palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin, Austria: part III. Magnoliophyta 1 – Magnoliales to Fabales". Grana. 54 (2): 85–128. Bibcode:2015Grana..54...85G. doi:10.1080/00173134.2015.1007081.
  7. ↑ Vázquez-García, José Antonio; Domínguez-Yescas, Reyna; Pedraza-Ruiz, Roberto; Sánchez-González, Arturo; Muñiz-Castro, Miguel Ángel (1990-01-06). "Magnolia rzedowskiana (Magnoliaceae), una especie nueva de la sección Macrophylla de la parte central de la sierra Madre Oriental, México". Acta botánica mexicana (in Spanish) (112). Instituto de Ecología A.C., Centro Regional del Bajío: 19–36. ISSN 0187-7151. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
  8. ↑ Vovides, Andrew P.; Iglesias, Carlos G. (September 1996). "Seed Germination of Magnolia dealbata Zucc. (Magnoliaceae), An Endangered Species from Mexico". HortScience. 31 (5): 877. doi:10.21273/HORTSCI.31.5.877.
  9. ↑ Mata-Rosas, Martín; Jiménez-Rodríguez, Ángel; Chávez-Avila, Victor M. (August 2006). "Somatic Embryogenesis and Organogenesis in Magnolia dealbata Zucc. (Magnoliaceae), an Endangered, Endemic Mexican Species". HortScience. 41 (5): 1325–1329. doi:10.21273/HORTSCI.41.5.1325.