BY L. RODWAV, (• M.G. 13 



— A small tx-ee, gi-owing often in the driest and most un- 

 promising piacesT It varies greatly in response to the 

 conditions in which it finds itself, but also the seeds 

 gathered from a tree will often show great difference on 

 germination. 



The type form of Blur ri'i/jjrrmlnt has foliage of an 

 ashy-blue colour, leaves nearly as broad as long, shortly 

 pointed or blunt, opposite, the leaves broadly combined 

 with one another across the stem. This is the form found 

 on very dry mudstone hills. When the soil is still poor, 

 but moisture available in greater quantity, the tree grows 

 out of the juvenile foliaged condition. The leaves oecome 

 alternate, stalked, lanceolate, acute, nearly or quite equal- 

 sided, but still much broader than those of Bhtrl, I't-ppir- 

 viint. This fonn is oft»»ii referred to as variety data, but 

 it is only the normal development of the type form. In 

 better country Bine Pepj/erminf cannot live, because it is 

 smothered out by more rapidly growing species. But 

 where artificial or some accident may permit it to grow 

 on good land, the leaves become smaller and narrower, 

 approximating those of Blarl Peitpernnnt, from which 

 they can onl}' be distinguished by more copious venation, 

 and ai. least some pale bloom covering the surface. The 

 bark is always scaly at the ba^e, and smooth pale above. 

 The buds are nLany in the umbel, club-shaped, with small, 

 nearly flat, opercula, averaging one centimetre in length. 

 The fruit i? somewhat variable in size and shape, a half 

 to one centimetre long and broad, lipmispheric, with a 

 flat top to almost ])ear-shaped, and the tcp slightly de- 

 pressed. In a bed of typical Blue Ve ft per mint, as, for 

 instance, along the iluon-rcad, about two miles from 

 Hobait, all variations of fruit are found. Some of the 

 trees, both in foliage and fruit, are indistinguishable from 

 Moiivfdiii Pepjierniiuf. 



Amongst the forms of Blue I'ep per mint which may 

 l>e picked from amongst the numerous varieties is tTiat 

 once named by R. Brown Eur. In/iirrirlfft^in, and com- 

 monly known as ('iililxu/e (hi in. The juvenile leaves diner 

 from those of the type in being more lanceolate and long, 

 and the mature leaves are usually verv broad, with numer- 

 ous diverging veins, but at other times the leaves are 

 lanceolate : but whatever shape the veins are always more 

 numerous than in the type, and the surface is alwavs more 

 or less clothed with glaucous bloom To instance the 



variability, both automatically and in response to condi- 

 tions, an instance may be cited. A few small trees grow 

 o!i the sand-dunes at Adventure Bav, with large broadly 

 oi>long opposite leaves, with typical flowers and fruit. 



