860 NOTE ON EUCALYPTUS LEUCOXYLON (p. V M.) 



found a tree suitable for his purpose not far from Lansdowne 

 Bridge on the Liverpool-road, he procured specimens of the 

 timber. According to Sir William, the average height of the 

 species is from 40 to 60 feet, with a diameter of 18 to 30 inches, 

 but in other localities it rises sometimes to 80 or 100 feet, with 

 a proportionate diameter, and affords a considerable amount of 

 timber. This tree possesses a large quantity of kino in its bark, 

 which resin is little inferior to that procured from E. siderophloia 

 (Benth.), and is used medicinally in cases of dysentery. 



From a general view of the " White Gum" of South Australia 

 and Victoria, and the " Red-flowering Iron-bark" of New South 

 Wales, no practical man would suppose that they could be varieties 

 of one species ; nor, indeed, according to Baron Mueller's cortical 

 system, would they stand even in the same section, the one 

 belonging to the Leiophloice and the other to the Schizophloice. But 

 even supposing that the differences of bark and wood may have 

 arisen from geological considerations, or the influence of climate, 

 the two trees differ in other respects. 



In the "White Gum," the true E leucoxylon (F. v. M.) the 

 young leaves are opposite and sessile ; the flowers large, of a deep 

 red colour, and generally in threes ; the pedicels longer than the 

 peduncles ; the leaves inclining to ovate-lanceolate, somewhat 

 thick, and abounding with volatile oil ; and the fruit large with a 

 thick rim ; whilst the anthers open at the top in pores. In the 

 " Red-flowering Iron-bark," the young leaves are alternate and 

 stalked ; the flowers smaller, of a lighter colour, and in umbels of 

 six or seven florets ; the peduncles and pedicels longer and nearly 

 equal ; the leaves thinner and more lanceolate ; the fruit 

 smaller with a narrower rim and more ovate in shape ; whilst the 

 anthers are very small with many of the outer stamens anantherous. 



The " Red-flowering Iron-bark," as well as the " Red-flowering 

 Gum," have occasionally white flowers; but the character of the 

 bark and wood, the general habit of the trees, and the differences 

 noted (though not perhaps always constant), indicate that E. 

 leucoxylon and E. sideroxylon must be regarded as distinct 

 species. 



