Magnolia acuminata, L.

Form.—Height 50-90 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long, clear, straight; crown usually pyramidal with spreading lower branches.

Leaves.—Alternate, simple, ovate, 4-12 inches long, apex pointed, entire, thin, smooth above, pale and downy beneath.

Flowers.—April-June; perfect, upright, solitary, bell-shaped, greenish-yellow, about 3 inches long.

Fruit.—Matures in autumn; fleshy, cucumber-shaped, about 2½ inches long, composed of 1-2-seeded carpels; seeds scarlet, drupe-like, attached by slender extensile threads.

Bark.—Grayish-brown, furrowed, with loose scales.

Wood.—Light, soft, close-grained, durable, yellowish, resembling Yellow Poplar, and used for interior finish and other purposes in buildings.

Range.—New York to Georgia, west to Kansas.

Distribution in West Virginia.—With other hardwoods throughout the State. Most plentiful in the mountainous and high hilly sections.

Habitat.—Prefers rich soils of bottoms and hillsides.

Notes.—The Cucumber is valuable as a forest and shade tree and should be propagated for these purposes. It can be distinguished from the other West Virginia magnolias by its smaller leaves, its greenish-yellow flowers, and its usually larger size.