574 BOTANY OF THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 



it. This is one of those species which seem to slightly prefer a 

 geological formation of sedimentary origin to that of an igneous, 

 but apparently it is more particular as a first consideration in 

 having a fairly cool climate, and ma}^ be found both north and 

 south on elevated Silurian slate areas, as well as on the Triassic 

 sandstone around Mount Victoria and elsewhere. From Goul- 

 burn and Moss Vale it continues eastward to the top of the 

 Illawarra Range at Macquarie Pass overlooking Albion Park, but 

 I have never found it down in the Illawarra district. 



E. radiata, Sieb., is, however, found along man}' of the rivers 

 and creeks of the coastal area, though not absolutely confined to 

 these situations, and is known sometimes as Peppermint but often 

 as Ribbony Gum from the appearance of the streamers of decor- 

 ticating bark as they hang from the upper parts of the trees. 

 The trunks of E. radiata are covered at the base and for ^arj'ing 

 distances upwards with a grey bark very similar to that of E. 

 amygdalina^hMt the upper part is usuall}^ clean and fairly white. 

 In general appearance this is the chief difference noticed between 

 the two species except, of course, in habit, E. radiata showing a 

 preference for growing along creek banks and on flats. Still the 

 latter trees may be found on the hillsides in many localities, and 

 although they appear to grow at lower levels in Xew South AVales 

 than E. ainygdalina, they may sometimes be found at elevations 

 at least exceeding 2,000 feet above sea level. The fruits of E. 

 radiata have appeared to me to be uniformly rather more con- 

 stricted at the rim than are those of E. amygdalina, but undoubt- 

 edly the two species approach each other ver}' closely, and there 

 are instances where it is extremely difficult to separate them. 



E. amyydaJiiia has an extensive range on the highlands in New 

 South Wales and Victoria, and is common in Tasmania, ]3ut under 

 the influence of southern latitudes may there be found practically 

 down to the sea level, although also at considerable elevations, 

 and apparently heedless of whether the formation is igneous or 

 sedimentary, being common on the former near Launceston and 

 on the latter around Hobart. In southern Victoria, also, it 

 appears to show that a suitable climate is its chief desideratum, 



