592 BOTANY OF THE INTERIOR OP NEW SOUTH WALES, 



perfectly smooth white limbs. Another tree very similar in 

 general appearance, as both have pale leaves and a drooping 

 habit, is E. largijlorens, F.v.M., though a little inspection soon 

 enables one to separate them, as the latter has the grey bark 

 covering the branches as well as the trunk. Moreover the fruits 

 are quite different, those of E. microtheca being readily identified 

 by the short calyx and exserted valves. Both are considered to 

 be " Box " trees. There seems to be a variety of E. largijlorens 

 with greener and broader leaves than the type, but the fruits are 

 identical. 



All these trees — E. microtheca, E. largijlorens and its variety, 

 according to my observations — grow only on what is known as 

 the river or black soil country, and never away on the hills. 

 They are of crooked growth, and average about 30 to 40 feet 

 high. Over the country which is now being described, E. micro- 

 theca was only found extending as far as 1 2 miles south of Bourke, 

 ceasing with the black soil, though it goes northward through 

 Queensland; while E. largijlorens was noted again on the Bogan 

 30 miles above Nyngan, and also on the Lachlan at Condobolin. 



Leaving the Darling River the road taken from Bourke was 

 towards Cobar, which is south about 100 miles. For the first 9 

 miles no other Eucalypts were noted except E. microtheca and E. 

 largijlorens, the next to appear being E. populifolia , Hook., 

 (Bimble Box, often called Shiny-leaf Box), and this tree con- 

 tinued practically the whole way to Condobolin. 



Other trees passed during the first 10 miles were : — 



Heterodendron oletejolium, Desf., (Rosewood). 



Exocarpus aphylla, R.Br., (Stiff Cherry). 



Atalaya hemiglauca, F.v.M., (Whitewood ; aboriginal name 

 " Bulcan "). The wood of this tree is attacked by a boring insect 

 almost as soon as cut. I have known miners use it in pegging 

 land. In two months the pegs were riddled, and each stood in a 

 little heap of sawdust. 



Cassia artemisioides, Gaud.,(Cooma Bush), "a shrub with yellow 

 flowers." 



