[Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 26 (N.S.), Part II., 1914.] 



Ar'I". XX. — Is Eucalyptus frutlcetorum, F. v. M., identical 

 ivitk E. 'polyhractea, R. T. Baker I 



By J. H. MAIDEN 



(Government Botanist of New South Wales, Sydney.) 

 Communicated by Pi-ofessor A. J. Evvai-t. 



[Read November 18th. 1913]. 



In this Journal xxvi. (New Series), p. 148, is a paper " On 

 Eucalptus polyhractea, R. T. Baker," by Mr. Baker, in which he 

 gives an account of my endeavours, with imperfect material, some 

 of it of dubious origin, to ascertain the identity of E . fruticetorum, 

 F.v.M. Mr. Baker ceased his researches with the year 1910, end- 

 ing with an imperfect reference to my Crif. Rev. Eucalptus, ii., 

 40-41. 



The actual reference 



" Oil the occasion of a recent (July, 190'<) visit to the Melbourne Herbarium 

 I came upon an excellent specimen, bearing a label, entirely in Mueller's 

 handwriting, as follows: — Eucalyptus fruticetorum, F. v. M., liower Avoca 

 (Wedderhurn) Scrub. W. Percy Wilkinson, 1892." 



I had never seen it before, although I had worked on Wilkinson's specimens 

 labelled by the late Mr. J. G. Luehmann, and transmitted by that gentleman 

 to Sydney, and it had probal)ly been mislaid (with many other specimens) 

 in the confusion which took place after Mueller's death. I shall fully figure 

 it in my " Forest Flora of New South Wales" in due course, and it is identical 

 in every respect with type specimens of E. polyhractea, R. T. Raker. 



The type specimen seems to have been lost. I made a personal search in 

 tho Melbourne Herbarium for it, with the kind help of Professor Kwart ; and 

 no ti'ace of it can be found at Kew, so Colonel Prain is good enough to tell me. 

 There is no good reason to doubt the correctness of Mueller's determination 

 of this characteristic specimen of liis own species." 



I was not able to carry out my promise as regards my " Forest 

 Flora of New South Wales" until Part XLII, 28 (1911), through 

 circumstances beyond my control, hut no one has been prejudiced 

 in any way by tlio delay. 



The twig of A', frutlrctonim F.v.M. that 1 depicted at Plate 156 

 of my Forest Flora was faithfully drawn, as anyone can see by 

 referring to the original in the Melbourne Herbarium. 



