Studies in the Families, Magnoliaceae, Illiciaceae and Schisandraceae of Szech'uan, China

Object of this study: Since the family Magnoliaceae was first described by J. H. Jaume St. Hilaire, its limit has been discussed and treated in various ways by different authors. The tendency of the treatments, however, is always to separate the remotely related groups and break this heterogeneous family into more homogeneous and well defined ones. According to Bentham & Hooker, Magnoliaceae includes three subfamilies, namely Magnolieae, Wintereae and Schisandreae. This treatment was followed by most authors until 1926, when Hutchenson broke these into three separate families: Magnoliaceae, Winteraceae and Schisandraceae. Recently, A. C. Smith separated Illicium from Winteraceae, and suggested a fourth family, Illiciaceae.

This work following the current systematic treatment, is the studies in Magnoliaceae, Illiciaceae and Schisandraceae of Szech'uan Province, China, based upon materials available in the U. S. National Herbarium (NH), Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University (AA), Botanic Museum of University of Oslo (MO), Herbarium of Fan Memorial Institute of Biology, Peiping, China (FM), and Herbarium of Szech'uan University, China (SU).

There are 32 species, 2 varieties and 2 forms in the 3 families included in this study, of which 1 species and 1 variety are described as new.