The two species of Houpo, Magnolia officinalis (original subspecies) and Magnolia officinalis var. biloba (subspecies), are both medicinal plants in the Magnoliaceae family and Magnolia genus. The bark, root bark, flowers, seeds, and buds of both species can be used as medicine, with the bark being the most commonly used part. They are well-known Chinese herbal medicines, with effects such as resolving dampness and stagnation, promoting qi circulation and relieving asthma, promoting digestion and dissolving phlegm, and relieving pain and expelling wind. The seeds have the additional effect of improving vision and boosting qi, while the buds are used in gynecology.
I. Magnolia officinalis
Magnolia officinalis is a tree that grows 7-15m tall, with purple-brown bark. The winter buds are covered by leaf scales, which fall off when they open. The leaves are alternate, densely arranged at the ends of small branches, elliptic-ovate in shape, 15-20cm long and 10-25cm wide, leathery, with bluntly rounded or short-pointed tips, and wedge-shaped or rounded bases. The leaves are entire or slightly undulated, smooth on the upper surface, with 20-40 pairs of prominent veins, and with a reticulate pattern of veins on the lower surface, covered in grayish short hairs.
The flowers and leaves of Magnolia officinalis bloom simultaneously in early summer. The flowers are solitary at the tips of branches, white, fragrant, and about 15cm in diameter. The flower stalks are thick and covered with brown hairs. There are 9-12 perianth segments, numerous stamens, red pistils, and multiple carpels arranged on an elongated receptacle. The fruit is an aggregate fruit, with each small fruit being an ellipsoidal follicle, woody. Each chamber usually contains one seed, which is triangular-ovate in shape, with a fresh red outer coat and a black inner coat. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from September to October.
II. Magnolia officinalis var. biloba
Magnolia officinalis var. biloba, also known as Lushan Houpo or Wenpo, is a deciduous tree in the Magnoliaceae family. It can reach a height of 15m and a diameter at breast height of 40cm. The bark is gray-white or light brown, with raised circular pores. The branches are thick and have circular leaf scars and elliptic leaf scars. The leaves are alternate, often born on leaf sheaths, ovate in shape, with entire margins, a concave apex, and two bluntly rounded shallow lobes or an inverted heart shape (the apex of young leaves or young trees is rounded or slightly pointed). The bases are wedge-shaped, with 15-25 pairs of lateral veins, green on the upper surface and densely covered with light gray hairs on the lower surface, with a slight white powder. The petioles are 2.5-5cm long.
The flowers and leaves of Magnolia officinalis var. biloba emerge simultaneously. They are hermaphroditic, solitary at the tips of branches, with a diameter of about 15cm. The perianth consists of 9-13 segments, fragrant, with the outermost three segments pale green and purple spots on the outside, and the inner perianth segments creamy yellow, short elliptic, inverted ovate, or spoon-shaped, varying in size. There are numerous stamens, with linear anthers, short filaments, and creamy yellow or red filaments. The carpels are numerous and separate, with slender pointed styles that bend slightly. The carpel group and stamen group are spirally arranged on the upper and lower parts of the receptacle. The aggregate fruit is 11-16cm long, with a pointed tip and containing 1-2 seeds with a fresh red seed coat.
In summary, the main difference between the two species in terms of morphological characteristics lies in the leaves. The leaves of Magnolia officinalis var. biloba have a concave apex, forming two bluntly rounded shallow lobes, while the leaves of Magnolia officinalis do not have a concave apex. The base of the aggregate fruit of Magnolia officinalis var. biloba is narrower than that of Magnolia officinalis.
