220 tumours of eucalypts and axgophoras, " 



Mallees. 



The Mallee-Scrubs of the interior, where alone fruitful in- 

 vestigation can be carried out, are remote from, and inaccessible 

 to us; and, consequent!}^, our material for the study of the 

 tumours of this group is very incomplete. Nevertheless, there 

 is something to be learnt from it We regret that we have been 

 unable to procure seedlings of the big Mallees, such as E. oleosa^ 

 E. dumosa^ and several others 



Plate XX., shows four advanced seedlings of three species. 

 Figs. \a and 16 are seedlings of E. f^tricta from the higher part 

 of the Blue Mountains (about 3,000 feet), 2^-3 feet high, from a 

 batch of seedlings, that we had had under observation for three 

 years, from the time when they were too young to show nodules. 

 The younger one (la) has five pairs of axillar}- stem-nodules, the 

 concrescence of the three oldest pairs not yet completed. Ihe 

 lengthening of the third and fourth internodes has kept the two 

 upper pairs apart. Another example, about the same size, has 

 a more complete concrescence of three or four pairs, then two 

 incomplete pairs separated by the lengthening of the internodes; 

 and above, two pairs, close together, followed by an incomplete 

 pair; but all these are small, and there are no fusions among 

 them. The older one (16) has a more complete concrescence in 

 the aspect shown; but one nodule of the first pair is missing (at 

 the back), and the encircling tumour is consequently lopsided, 

 and smaller than it otherwise would have been. Three and a 

 half pairs seem to be present, and a fifth, small pair, doing little, 

 are indicated at a higher level. One shoot is present, and one 

 root was in process of incorporation. 



Fig. 2 is a seedling of E. Moorei, about 2 feet high, also from 

 the Blue Mountains, The concresced portion, not quite complete 

 at the summit, represents three or possibly four pairs. The 

 uppermost pair is incomplete, the nodule at the back missing. 

 We have younger seedlings of both species in various stages with 

 up to five and six unfused pairs. We are inclined to think that 

 the slovv progress of t}ie nodules of the seedlings of these two 

 species is, in some degree, due to the low ground-temperatures 

 and frequent frosts on the higher part of the Blue Mountains 

 during the months of April-October. 



