76 TASMANIAN TIMHEUS. 



the base, and green to nearly white in colour. To distinguish it 

 it is very necessary to examine the leaves, the parallel venation of 

 which at once separates it from any form but Iron-bark. 



White-gum seldom exceeds the dimensions of a small tree, with 

 a much branched and spreading habit— -the main stem soon lost 

 in branches. The bark varies in deciduousness, is sometimes 

 smooth and white from the base, sometimes persistent to the 

 upper branches; this persistent bark is never hbrous, but more 

 or less scaly. The leaves of this tree are most variable; they 

 run from the shape and size of a typical Blue-gum to small and 

 narrow-iinear, as in narrow-leaved Peppermints. Reference is 

 already made in the botanic description of Eucalyptus globulus 

 to the probable hybridisation with this species. 



The Cider-gum of the Midlands and Lake Country is more cf 

 the character of a large bush, seldom exceeding 20 feet. The 

 bark is smooth and white from the base; some forms have, when 

 young, large round leaves opposite in pairs, and joined at the 

 base, but this seldom continues long after the flowering period is 

 reached. The leaves of this Gum are not oblique, but equal- 

 sided, and the flowers are always three together. 



lled-gum is very closely allied to the last, and in Australia is 

 often considered but a form of it. It is a small to medium sized 

 tree, much branched and spreading. The bark is persistent 

 more or less up the stem, and is coarsely scaly. The leaves are 

 equal-sided, shining, and often undulated on the margin. The 

 flowers usually six to eight together. The name Bed-gum has 

 merely a local significance, as it has no relationship to the various 

 Red-gums of Australia. 



Mountain Bed-gum, is a different tree altogether ; it has a ten- 

 dency to a tall central stem, but is much influenced by surround- 

 ings, attaining a height of 150 feet in some parts, dwindling 

 doAvn to a mere shrub in others. The bark is smooth from the 

 base, green, blotched with red-brown. Dwarf-gum is very close 

 to this in form of organs, but appears to maintain a distinct 

 character. It seldom exceeds 3 to 5 feet in height. Leaves are 

 small, nearly round, opposite but stalked, equal-sided, thick, and 

 shiny. The flowers are solitary or three together. It appears 

 to occur only on the sub-alpine plains of the West and South- 

 West. 



The Urn-bearing gum, at an altitude of about 2000 feet, is 

 exactly similar to the Mountain Bed-giPm in general appearance, 

 both of habit, bark, and foliage, but the fruit is shaped like a 

 Grecian urn. Below this altitude the bark becomes ashy-white, 

 the leaves long and narrow, and the fruit approaches the fruit of 

 White-gum. The Heart-leaved gum is a small, erect tree, with 

 a smooth bark, the old bark being shed in scales. The leaves are 

 pale and opposite in pairs, but, unlike those of Drooping-gum, 

 are not united by their bases. 



L. RODWAY. 



