A family in the flowering plant order Magnoliales. Consists of two subfamilies:
Magnolioideae, of which Magnolia is the most well-known genus.
Liriodendroidae, a monotypic subfamily, containing Liriodendron (Tulip Tree)
Unlike most angiosperms, whose flower parts are in rings, the Magnoliaceae have their stamens and pistils in spirals on a conical receptacle. This arrangement is found in old fossil plants and is believed to be primitive for angiosperms.
