366 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
G.—A. obliqua, L’Herit. 
This is the first species of Eucalyptus described, it hearee 
been originally collected by David Nelson, “ Assistant 
Botanist,”’ on Cook’s Third Voyage (1776-9), and described 
by L’Heritier in 1788. At the time of its collection, and 
for long afterwards, Tasmania was looked upon as part of 
Australia; moreover, it was poorly described and figured, 
and the specimens themselves were imperfect, and not 
easily accessible. The result was that it was not recognised 
until the sixties that #. obliqua was the common Tasmanian 
Stringybark. Hooker, “ Flora of Tasmania,” was not 
aware of its identity, and consequently in that classical 
work it is not mentioned, but a new species, HL. gigantea, 
Hook, f., takes it place. 
Following is the original description of Hucalyptus 
obliqua by L’Heritier :— 
“ Hucalyptus.—Perianthium: Operculum superum, inte- 
gerrimum, truncatum. Petalum: Calyptra obverse hemi- 
spherica, margini calycis imposita, ante anthesin discedens 
Filamenta numerosissima, calyci inserta. Germen inferum 
turbinatum. Stylus unicus. Capsula subquadrilocularis, 
apice duntaxat dehiscens. Semina plurima, angulata. 
“ Bucalyptus obliqua. Tab. 20. Habitat in Nova 
Cambria. Nelson, Guil. Anderson.” (L’Herit. Sert. 
Angl., p. 18.) 
Following is Hoffmansegg’s brief reference to the species, 
which is given here because of the rarity of the work :— 
(430) Hucalyptus obliqua. Male in Willd. foliorum 
nulla mentio, id quod in Link. ‘Enum.’ probe emendatum.”’ 
(Hoffmg. verz. Pfl. Nachtr. 2, p. 114.) 
The fruits of HY. obliqua sometimes have great similarity 
to those of H. corzacea. 
_ Following are reports by Mr. Allen Ransome of London, 
on two Tasmanian samples of #. obliqua timber (see 
“Kew. Bulletin,’ May, 1889):—..... “a very strong, 
tough wood, with a straight grain, in appearance somewhat 
resembling American Ash. From its great strength and 
toughness it is well adapted for carriage, cart, and waggon 
building, wheelwork, and agricultural machinery, as well 
as for the framing of railway carriages and trucks. It is 
also a valuable wood for the stronger description of build- 
ing constructions, and would make excellent railway- 
sleepers. From the peculiar strength of the fibre of the 
grain it will not maintain a good surface, as even when 
perfectly dry, the grain rises, so as to render it impossible 
to polish it successfully.” 
