180 A RESEARCH ON THE EUCALYPTS OF TASMANIA 



A portion of the crude oil was rectified by steam. The 

 product was almost colourless and the odour good, whilst 

 but little residue remained. The oil thus rectified had 

 specific gravity at 15*^ C. = 0*9071; rotation a^ = 

 + 12-10; refractive index at 22° C. =-- r4612. A deter- 

 mination of the eucalyptol by the resorcinol method gave 

 66 per cent, of that constituent in this rectified oil. 



Although the specific gravity is a little low, and the 

 rotation a little high, yet the oil of this species may be 

 considered of fair value as a eucalyptol-pinene Eucalyptus 

 oil. 



EUCALYPTUS VERNICOSA, Hook. f. 

 Botany. 



Historical. — This species was described in 1847 by J. D. 

 Hooker in " London Journal of Botany " (VI., p. 478), 

 and the name has stood unchallenged ever since. 



E^marks. — Rodway suggests in his " Flora of Tas- 

 mania " (p. 58) that it is just possible this species is a 

 mountain form of E. Mnelleri, but we are of opinion that 

 technology at least wouid be better served if the two were 

 recognised as distinct species — vide note under that species. 

 " This species has the same form of leaves throughout its 

 life history, which E. Muelleri does not appear to have." — 

 L. G. Irby. 



Chemistry. 



Essential Oil. — This material for distillation was 

 obtained on the Hartz Mountains in May, 1912. It 

 reached Sydney in excellent condition. The average yield 

 of oil was 0'807 per cent. The crude oil was but little 

 coloured, and was rich in eucalyptol. It contained, how- 

 ever, rather a large amount of dextro-rotatory pinene, 

 consequently the specific gravity was somewhat low ; this 

 was also influenced by the remarkable freedom from high 

 boiling constituents, and no less than 96 per cent, of the 

 crude oil distilled below 194° C. The terpene phellan- 

 drene was quite absent in the oil of this species. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at' 15^ C. = 09038 ; 

 rotation a^ = + 11'3*^; refractive index at 18^ C. 

 = 1'4651 ; and was soluble in 1 volume 80 per cent, alco- 

 hol, but not in 10 volumes 70 per cent. 



On rectification, a small amount of acid water, and 

 rather a large amount of objectionable smelling aldehydes, 

 came over below 167° C. (corr.). Between 167-1720 C. 32 



