62 ON THE CLASSIFICATION OF EUCALYPTS, 



The anthereal system, which was in some degree suggested by 

 Baron Mueller's descriptions in his Fragmenta, and was subse- 

 quently worked out with great ingenuity by Mr. Bentham in the 

 Flora Australiensis, is that now generally adopted by botanists. 

 The Baron, in his preface to his Fuca/yptographia, expresses the 

 opinion that it is most convenient for the arranging of specimens 

 in herbaria, and that the method brings also into close contact 

 most of the Eucalypts which are bound together by natural 

 affinity. But whilst these gnat men have rendered incalculable 

 assistance in the classification of the genus, it remains for further 

 investigation to clear up the anomalies which still exist in the 

 anthereal system. Though as a system for grouping the species it 

 proves so useful, yet it must be confessed that it is not so satis- 

 factory to the general observer, or to one who has not the leisure 

 for microscopic investigations. When the anthers are small or in 

 their configuration vacillating between two sections, a powerful lens 

 or even a microscope may be necessary for accurate determination. 

 Few persons have the time or the ability for such examinations, 

 and, therefore, whilst the system may give great assistance to the 

 scientific botanist in his museum, it cannot be of general use in 

 the field or to the majority of observers. Nor, indeed, is it without 

 its difficulties to the botanist, for, as the Baron candidly acknow- 

 ledges, some species may be regarded as transits from one section 

 to another, and that the characteristics of aberrant forms of any 

 species are not covered by his synopsis. It is probable that as the 

 species become better known and those of one district are compared 

 with those of another, the general characters of the anthers in such 

 species may be more accurately determined; but still the difficulty 

 must remain of subjecting the floral organs to minute inquiry, 

 or indeed of finding the anthers in a proper state for examination. 

 Though, in the majority of instances, the anthereal system brings 

 into close contact species allied by natural affinity, yet there are 

 some remarkable exceptions to the rule. For instance, some of the 

 "Iron-barks" stand in Porantherea?, and others in Parallelanthereae. 

 The same may be said of some of the " Mahoganies ;" whilst a few 

 of the " Gum Trees " are separated from those very similar in 



