530 ON EUCALYPTUS POLYANTHEMOS, SCHAUEE, 



On the other hand, Mr. Baker's label saj^s — " E. ovalifolia, 

 R.T.B. Red Box Hard, red-coloured durable timber; bark 

 rough at base." This is a description of E. jjolyantheinos, Schauer. 



I am therefore of opinion that, through inadvertence, E. ovali- 

 folia, K. T. Baker, has been parti}'- described from E. j)olyan- 

 thenios, Schauer, and partly from E. Bauerania, Schauer. 



4. E. ovalifolia, R. T. Baker, var. lanceolata, R. T. Baker. 



A specimen of timber from Rylstone labelled as above by Mr. 

 Baker, with the addition " Red Box," and kindh'' presented by 

 that gentleman, is E. j^olyanthe^nos, Schauer. 



Affinities. 



a. With E. Baueriana, Schauer. — This species has long been 

 confused with E. polyanthemos, which is the best evidence that 

 it is necessary to issue a caution on the subject. As regards 

 herbarium specimens, those of E. Baueriana are less glaucous and 

 often more slaty-looking than E. j^olyanthemos, the opercula less 

 pointed, and the fruits more conical and with thinner rims. The 

 forester would not confuse the trees for a moment. The bark of 

 E. Baueriana is, woolly up to the small branches,. that of E. 'poly- 

 anthemos being smooth or ribbon3^ The timber of E. Baueriana 

 is pale brown or brovrn, while that of E. jjolyanthemos is deep red. 



I have seen E. polyanthemos with a true " box" bark, and am 

 of opinion that the use of the term "box" (other than "bastard 

 box") as applied to this tree, has arisen, in some measure, from 

 the long-continued confusion with E. Baueriana. See also these 

 Proceedings, 1899, p. 613. 



6. With E. melliodora., A Cunn. — Sometimes these two species 

 from bark alone are hard to discriminate. They both may have 

 scaly-box bark at the butt for a considerable distance, thereafter 

 ribbony bark or a " White Gum " appearance. 



The bark of E. melliodora is more persistent than that of E. 

 2)olijanthemos; the ribbony bark, however, never descending so 

 low down as in the latter. A man might readily be forgiven if 

 he called one polyanthemos tree a Box and another a Gum, and 

 as a matter of fact this is commonl}^ done. 



