506 EUCALYPTS OF THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, 



flowers from October to the end of the year, and, in that respect, 

 is more regular than some of the allied species. Baron Mueller, 

 who has given an excellent figure of this tree, says that the 

 frequent occurrence of it through a large extent of East Australia 

 suggested the specific name. It appears from the observations 

 of that eminent writer, that this Ironbark extends from the 

 southern shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria, through the more 

 littoral and hilly tracts of Queensland to the vicinity of Port 

 Jackson and the Blue Mountains. According to the artificial 

 system E. crehra stands in the same section with E. siderophloia, 

 though, in its general character, it approaches more closely to the 

 narrow-leaved forms of E. paniculata. The wood is very hard 

 and durable, being largely used for fencing, railway purposes, 

 and wheel-wright's work. According to the experiments mentioned 

 by Baron Mueller, the wood is not so strong as that of E. 

 siderophloia, and that is the general impression of practical men ; 

 but, in order to form an accurate estimate of the comparative 

 strength of the respective woods, they should be nearly of the 

 same age, for old timber becomes somewhat brittle. 



4. E. leucoxylon var. sideroxtjlon is the Eed-flowering Ironbark, 

 occurring for the most part on poor soil at South Creek, near 

 Bichmond, and between Parramatta and Liverpool. It is seldom 

 found, on this side of the Dividing Pange, to exceed 60 or 80 

 feet. The bark is very dark in colour, deeply furrowed, and, 

 abounding in kino. As the wood is the darkest of the Ironbark s 

 the specific name is very inappropriate, whilst the term sideroxylon 

 seems applicable to all the series. The Victorian and South 

 Australian tree, with which, according to the artificial system, our 

 Eed-flowering Ironbark is associated, has white wood and '' a 

 rough dark iron-grey bark " (F.v.M.), but both of the trees have 

 similar flowers and the upper branches white and smooth. Baron 

 Mueller suggested the name ruhiflora for our variety, but finding 

 that, beyond the Dividing Pange, the tree very frequently had 

 white flowers, he has returned to Cunningham's sideroxylon. The 



