What are the primitive characters of magnoliaceae?

Magnolia trees--or rather, some of their parts--have remained unchanged for millions of years. They are classified as angiosperms (flowering plants), even though their seeds grow in a structure that looks quite a bit like a pine cone. But they are not gymnosperms, like pine trees, because magnolias seeds are encased in the "fruit" (the structure that looks like a cone) before developing. Some magnolias are called Evergreen Magnolias, as the leaves stay on the tree through the winter. Others are deciduous--the leaves die off in the winter.

Magnolias are some of the oldest flowering plants; this is one reason some consider them "primitive". According to the Kew Gardens site referenced below, some of the other reasons for them being considered as "primitive" include:

• Spirally arranged and numerous flowers parts (no sign of a reduction in parts).


• Indistinguishable perianth parts. [the perianth refers to the outer part of flowers]


• Radially symmetrical flower.


• Cone-like appearance of the fruiting structure.


• Its similarity with the known fossil records.