Commemorating P.A. Micheli, Florentine botanist (1679–1737).
Mostly evergreen trees or shrubs. Leaves oblong or elliptic, leathery; stipules free or attached to leaf stalk, soon shed, leaving scars (sometimes obscure). Flowers solitary, bisexual, mostly fragrant with parts mostly similar, in 3s or 6s. Carpels numerous on a common stalk, each with 2 or more ovules. Fruits in cone-like heads of free and lax follicles.
A genus that is gaining in popularity with a number of recent introductions, these include: M. compressa (Maxim.) Sarg. from S Japan, China, Philippines and Taiwan has pale yellow waxy flowers with 9(-14) white segments that are purplish towards the base, 15-25 mm long and leaves waxy blue below; it has the widest natural distribution of all the species in the genus. M. maudiae Dunn has leaves slightly waxy blue below and shiny above; flowers large. M. velutina DC. (M. lanuginosa Wall.) which has hairy new growth, slightly hairy leaves and small, cream, fruity-scented flowers.
A range of M. doltsopa × M. figo hybrid selections includes 'Mixedup Miss', 'Allspice', 'Jack Fagg', 'Bubbles' and 'Touch of Pink'.
Seed, cuttings and grafting.
Extracted oils are used in perfumery, cosmetics and medicine. Some species yield commercial timbers.
Differs from most Magnolias in being evergreen trees with axillary flowers, and carpels on a common stalk.
About 40 species of tropical and warm temperate areas; India and Sri Lanka to SE Asia, Japan and Taiwan to Indonesia (about 17 species in China).
Nooteboom (1985) Chen Bao Liang &Nooteboom (1993).
Source: (1997). Magnoliaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
