BY J. J. FLETCHER AND C. T. MUSSON. 219 



number of specimens. The stump of it is just discernible in the 

 photo. There were a number of shoots, but, in this case, one of 

 them took the lead, and was 6 feet high. At the base of it is a 

 remarkable, encircling insect-gall. At first, we took this to be 

 a case of the fusion of pairs of axillary nodules on a tumour- 

 shoot, followed by concrescence; and that it might bean example 

 of what Tate meant, when he said seedlings and ''growths" have 

 basal inflations. On cutting it tiansversely, four radial cavities 

 were exposed, two of which contained living coleopterous pupae, 

 one in each cavity; the other two contained only exuviae or 

 excrement. Apparently, the mother-insect oviposited at intervals 

 all round the base of the shoot. 



Of the two advanced seedlings of E. eugenioides in Plates xviii. 

 and xix., the first has not yet got rid of the tumour shoots, which 

 are situated at the back, as the specimen is shown. The other 

 one had got rid of them; in this case, the death of the seedling- 

 stem gave rise to complications. 



Tate, in his brief way, said that Non-Mallees, which have 

 basal inflations, grow out of them. Apparently, he was relying 

 on experience, and not speaking from observation. The only 

 author who mentions what takes place, as far as we can find, is 

 Ednie Brown, who in his "Forest Flora of S.A.", under E. 

 leucoxylon (Part ii.), says — "During the first two years of its 

 growth, the plant has a low-lying or spreading habit, not at all 

 prepossessing in its favour, when looked upon in the light of a 

 future timber-tree. About the third year, however, a straight 

 and upright 'leader' comes away from the centre of the apparent 

 bush, which, after this, soon assumes the form of a promising 

 young tree.'' 



What is here described as a straight and upright leader, is 

 simply the seedling-stem coming into its own, and getting rid of 

 the tumour-shoots. Otherwise, it the seedling-sttm is destroyed, 

 two, strong leaders usually come away; that is two, tumour- 

 shoots take the lead, as we have already pointed out, and as is 

 shown in several of our Plates. 'J he author was apparently not 

 aware of the presence of what Tate, some years afterwards, called 

 the basal inflation of seedlings of this species. We should think, 

 also, that he probably underestimated the age of his plants. 



