BY R. H. CAMBAGE. 595 



passing this clump 12 miles south of that town, no more is seen 

 on the road to Condobolin. 



So far I have not been able to satisfactorily identify this 

 species, and have reason to think that there has been some con- 

 fusion with Acacia homalophylla (Yarran). Its nearest affinity 

 certainly seems to be with this species. In the " Flora Austral- 

 iensis " (Vol. ii., p. 383) the phyllodia are spoken of as being 

 " very finely striate with parallel veins only to be seen under a 

 lens." Now this could not refer to Gidgea, as the veins in the 

 leaves are quite distinct; while in Yarran there are often none 

 visible, a difference generally noticeable even in dried specimens. 

 Again A. homalophylla is found in Victoria, but it is usually 

 understood in the west that Gidgea does not occur much south 

 of the Bourke district. In fresh specimens there are two very 

 simple and decisive tests for these trees. One is to damp the 

 leaves, and Gidgea will soon proclaim itself by the smell; the 

 other is to double the leaf between the thumb and finger, and if 

 a Yarran it will snap right off and seldom hang by even the 

 slightest fibre, while the veins in the Gidgea leaf will prevent it 

 from snapping at all. This test is no use in dried specimens, as 

 both will snap readily. Gidgea wood is darker, stronger and 

 heavier than Yarran, but in the bark and general appearance the 

 trees are somewhat similar. Gidgea is the larger tree of the two, 

 and when compared with Yarran of mature growth is the more 

 umbrageous. 



In botanical specimens there is no doubt it is difficult to 

 separate these two species, though in the field they are seldom 

 confused. Gidgea foliage has always appeared to me as fairly 

 dark ^reeii, and Yarran more of a yellow-green; though curiously 

 in the herbarium the leaves of the former dry nearly white, and 

 those of Yarran often appear dark beside them. Still here they 

 can generally be identified even in very old specimens, as a stray 

 leaf of the Gidgea may have been doubled or twisted in the 

 pressing and have retained its bent form. Should a Yarran leaf 

 be doubled in pressing it will snap. 



