[Proc. Kot. Soc. Victoria. 27 (N.S.), Pt. II., 1914]. 



Akt. XXV'K "iVoff- on Eucalyptus aljnna, Liiui., and its^ 

 Essential Oil. 



By R. T. baker, F.L.S., and H. G. SMITH, F.C.S., 



Teclmolo^ical Museum, Sydney. 



(Comuiunicated by Prof. A. J. Evvart, D.Sc). 

 [Eead December 10th, 1914]. 



This specimen was discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell, in 1836, 

 on the summit of Mt. William at an elevation of over 4,000 feet, 

 and, so far, is endemic to Victoria. Until quite within the last year 

 or so, this was the only locality recorded for it, none other being 

 given by Bentham in his " Flora Australiensis," or by Mueller h\ 

 his " Eucalyptographia," Dec. 11, where this species is figured. 



It has, however, now been found by Mr. J. W. Audas to occur 

 at Hall's Gap, in the Grampians, and the leaves from which this oil 

 was obtained were collected " on that poi'tion of the Serra-range 

 lying between Hall's Gap and the Victorian Valley, Grampian 

 Mountains," where it grows on black sandy loam. Mr. C. W. 

 D' Alton, of that locality, informs us that the species seldom grows 

 below an altitude of two thousand feet, and appears to flourish best 

 at about 3000 feet above sea level. The height of the ti-ee is between 

 twelve and thirty feet, being a robust spreading tree, with rough 

 bark at the foot of the trunk and smooth above. 



Timber. — The timber is very tough, and stands heavy winds well. 

 but becomes hollow with age. 



Remarks. — Being confined to so restricted an area, one would 

 hardly expect to find any variations, and Mueller, who figures and 

 describes it in liis "Eucalyptographia," does not give or refei- to 

 any. Additional collections of material, however, show that the 

 fruits, at least, leally do vary in shape. Those delineated by 

 Mueller might be taken as the extreme in size and contour of rim. 

 which is there shown to be domed, but specimens in this herbarium 

 show the rim to be. even in mature fruits, quite truncate, and in 

 others even half countersunk. The fruit is also occasionally 

 ribbed. 



The smaller form of capsule is not unlike that of E. capitellata 

 in shape, otherwise the features appear fairly constant. 



