The Souih Australian Naiuralist. 67 



very plentiful. The trees range from 15 to 25 feet in height, 

 with stems on an average 6 inches round. 



The varying habit of these trees is very marked. On the 

 slopes near Clapham they are of a distinct tree form with a large 

 main trunk, while a little distance away they assume the malleo 

 habit, with small numerous trunks apparently arising from the 

 same rootstock. Comparing the leaves, flowers and fruits, they 

 are all the same, but they have a distinctly different mode of 

 growth. The mallee form will always groAV again after being 

 cut down, and evidence of this is seen beyond Eden, where sec- 

 tions of the scrub have been cut down at various periods. The 

 next interesting specimen of the Box Gum is observed at about 

 12h miles, which is beyond Blackwood. Near the railway cross- 

 ing is one very big specimen of the box, about 60 feet high and 

 over 4 feet in diameter. This is the biggest tree of the species I 

 have seen along the line. The box extends along the ridge beyond 

 Belair, and has the Yellow Gum mainly for company. At 15 J 

 miles the limit of its range is reached. It is interesting to note 

 that this tree extends from the plains, through the first range 

 of hills, to the entrance of the second range — i.e., from 200 or 

 300 feet to over 1,000 feet above sea-level. in a distance of six 

 miles. It is associated with only two species of gums, the Ked 

 and Yellow. 



7. E. obliqua. White Stringybark or Messmate. 



We have noted the various species growing from near Ade- 

 laide to Upper Sturt, and the}^ have covered most of the area 

 under review, but for the last three or four miles the stringyljark 

 is the dominant species. This was the first eucalypt found in 

 Australia, and was named by L'Heritier 132 j^ears ago. The 

 first stringybark on this section is seen soon after leaving No. 5 

 tunnel; this would be about an altitude of 1,050 feet, with m\ 

 annual average rainfall of about 40 inches. 



As its name implies, the bark is of a fibrous, stringy nature, 

 and is always the same in appearance. It is not deciduous, like 

 the smooth-barked varieties. This tree is being more extensively 

 used now for furniture-making and for trade purposes. It is 

 known as Australian Oak. We have some splendid specimens 

 of this tree near Mount Lofty, but a lot of good timber has been 

 cut out recently. T^nfortunately, replanting is not taking place 

 to refurnish the cleared areas. 



8. E. capitellata. Brown Stringybark (see Fig. 2, Plate 1). 



In J. E. Brown's "Forest P'lora of 8. A.," the writer says 

 that this tree is more numerous than the White Stringybark in 

 the Mount Lofty Ranges. This may have applied when it was 

 written, over 30 years ago, but as far as my observations go it is 



