586 BOTANY OF THE INTERIOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 



The question as to whether the Bathurst E. cordata differs from 

 the Tasmania!! one sufficiently to be regarded as a separate species 

 will probably remain to some extent a matter of opinion. There 

 is a noticeable difference in the shape and texture of the leaves, 

 those of the Bathurst trees being thicker and more leathery than 

 are those of the Tasmanian species, while the latter are often 

 crenulate and more acuminate. The amount of variation in the 

 length of peduncle appears to be about the same in both cases. 

 Some difference may also be noticed in the shape of the fruits, an 

 important point in botany, those of the Tasmanian trees having 

 a globular tendency. In both cases the fruits are sessile and 

 a.rranged in three-j. The Bathurst trees are growing near the 

 top of a rock}^ hill of micaceous schist formation, seldom exceed- 

 ing more than 20 feet high, and little more than 3 inches in 

 diameter, with the heads of the trees bending right over. The 

 buds commonly have a partially second operculum. The wood is 

 pale, the bark white and inclined to be ribbony. The whole of 

 the trees to be found cover very little more than an acre of 

 ground, and no others of the same species being known on the 

 mainland of Australia, it is difficult from this small area to make 

 a satisfactory comparison with the Tasmanian trees. 



To the south of Ilobart E. cordata m^j be found on hills of 

 volcanic rock. From a bushman's point of view, they are very 

 like the Bathurst trees, except that they grow larger and are 

 usually much more erect, only two or three instances being 

 noticed on one hill where the heads showed a tendency to bend 

 over, though not to the extent which may be seen at Bathurst. 

 In bark and timber they appear identical. The Bathurst trees 

 are the toughest to be found among the hills on which they grow, 

 and the same may be said of these Hobart trees, except it be 

 some stunted forms of E. cocc{fcra, Hook., growing on Mount 

 Wellington. The Tasmanian or typical E. cordata also has the 

 partially double operculum, though this feature may be found at 

 times on other species of Eucalyptus. Considering the widely 

 different conditions, both geological and climatic, under which 

 the two trees grow, some difference at least in general appearance 



