Magnolia Macrophylla - Classification

Classification

Magnolia macrophylla has three subspecies; some botanists treat these plants as three separate species:

• Magnolia macrophylla subsp. macrophylla. Bigleaf magnolia. Southeastern United States. Secure. Tree to 20 m; leaves 50–90 cm long, fruit 4–10 cm long with more than 50 carpels.

• Magnolia macrophylla subsp. ashei (Wetherby) Spongberg. Ashe magnolia. Northwest Florida. Shrub or small tree to 12 m; leaves 25–60 cm long, fruit 4–5 cm long with less than 50 carpels. Considered by some botanists to be a distinct species, Magnolia ashei.

• Magnolia macrophylla subsp. dealbata (Zuccarini) J. D. Tobe. Mexican bigleaf magnolia or Cloudforest magnolia. Mexico (Hidalgo to Oaxaca and Veracruz, in cloud forests). Tree to 20 m; leaves 30–60 cm long, fruit 8–15 cm long with more than 70 carpels. Considered by some botanists to be a distinct species, Magnolia dealbata.