Magnolia figo

{{Short description|Species of tree}} {{Speciesbox | image = Michelia figo Purple Queen1.jpg | image_caption = Cultivar 'Purple Queen' | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author= Khela, S. |date=2014 |title= ''Magnolia figo'' |volume=2014 |article-number= e.T15112917A15112956 |doi= 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T15112917A15112956.en |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref> | genus = Magnolia | display_parents = 3 | parent = Magnolia subsect. Michelia | species = figo | authority = (Lour.) DC. | synonyms = {{species list |Liriodendron figo |Lour. |Michelia figo |(Lour.) Spreng.}} | synonyms_ref =<ref name=POWO/> }}

'''''Magnolia figo''''' is a species of flowering plant in the family ''Magnoliaceae''.<ref name=POWO>{{cite web |url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:554702-1 |title= Magnolia figo (Lour.) DC. |author= |date=n.d. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref><ref name=COL>{{cite web |url= https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/3XH9V |title= Magnolia figo (Lour.) DC. |author= |date=n.d. |website=Catalogue of Life |publisher=Species 2000 |access-date=July 13, 2025}}</ref> This evergreen tree is sometimes referred to by the common names '''banana shrub''', and '''port wine magnolia'''. It grows to {{convert|3-4|m|ft|abbr=off|0}} tall.

Initially described by Portuguese missionary and naturalist João de Loureiro as ''Liriodendron figo'', it was reclassified as ''Michelia figo'' by German botanist Curt Polycarp Joachim Sprengel. In 2006, a cladistic analysis of the genus ''Michelia'' found them to lie within the genus ''Magnolia'', with the name now being ''Magnolia figo''.

It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens for its fragrant flowers, which are cream-white and sometimes yellow, purple rounded, or light-purple, and strongly scented with isoamyl alcohol.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Knudsen|first1=Jeite T.|last2=Tollsten|first2=Lars|last3=Bergstrom|first3=L. Gunnar|title=Floral Scents - A Checklist of Volatile Compounds Isolated by Head-Space Techniques|journal=Phytochemistry|date=1993|volume=33|issue=2|pages=253–280|doi=10.1016/0031-9422(93)85502-i}}</ref> It is also popular to keep ''M. figo'' as a houseplant. Flower buds, as well as new leaves, are covered with hairs, giving it a texture similar to that of velvet. The leaves are leathery, dark glossy-green, up to 10 cm long.

This plant is used in Shanghai, China, as a tall evergreen hedge. It grows very slowly and matures into a large evergreen compact tree. It grows in acid and alkaline soil very well, but is susceptible to black soot.

==Distribution== It is native to China.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{GRIN | ''Michelia figo'' | 316261}} * [http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/search?q=Magnolia+figo Kew Plant List for ''Magnolia figo''] * [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/simplePlantNameSearch.do?find_wholeName=Magnolia+figo IPNI Listing] * [http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/shrubs/MICFIGA.PDF#search='Michelia%20figo' Fact Sheet FPS-404 ], University of Florida

figo Category:Trees of China Category:Garden plants of Asia Category:Ornamental trees Category:Taxa named by João de Loureiro