92 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 



in Tasmania and a few extend as far as Timor and Moluc- 

 ca. The botanical name, literally translated, means 

 "well covered with a lid," and refers to the box-like, hard, 

 woody fruit, which in flower is covered by the calyx. This 

 eventually falls off as a sort of lid. 



The trees form vast forests and grow to an enormous 

 height and proportionate thickness. There is little doubt 

 that the3^ dispute wath the Sequoias of California, the 

 proud title of King of Trees. Their leaves are of a thick 

 and leathery quality, gray or silvery in color, at least in 

 those we have seen, and thickl3^ beset with resinous glands 

 exhaling the peculiar agreeable and penetrating odor. 



In the young jDlants these leaves are always opposite, 

 but as the plant matures, they become alternate, and, by 

 the tortion of their stalks, they present their edges to the 

 sky. Some of my intelligent audience well-read in plant 

 lore, no doubt, are av^arethat this peculiar feature is quite 

 characteristic of Australian trees and shrubs of extremely 

 various families. Thus, we find the phenomenon exhibited 

 in the Laurels, Myrtles, Acacias, etc. The consequence is 

 a most marked peculiarit3Mn the appearance of Australian 

 woods. Where, in our forests of equivalent density, one 

 expects and finds broad and grateful shades, in these 

 woods he sees but streaks of shade. It must be remem- 

 bered that Australia is a mostly dry, hot countrj"-, and this 

 is nature's manner of giving to her leaves the least sun- 

 exposure, combined with surface expansion. 



The flowers, comparativeh' inconspicuous as is mostly 

 the case with large trees, are axillary, solitar}^ or in clus- 

 ters. As before remarked, the calyx is indurated and sep- 

 arates into two pieces, the upper forming the lid of the 

 capsule. This drops off as a single piece when the flower 

 opens, the corolla still adhering to it. The lower part per- 

 sists and is fringed by a mass of uncountable stamens 

 around its rim. 



Lindley tells us that trees have been found 400 feet 

 high, by 100 in girth at base. Mind is apalled by such 

 figures. Apply them to our highest chimney or building 



