94 THE EUCALYPTS OF GIPPSLAND. 



Baron von Mueller refers to it in the " Eucalyptograpliia, Tenth Decade," on 

 the authority of Dr. Wools and Eev. E. Collie, as growing on the elevated parts of 

 the Blue Mountains, particularly at some of the summits. In Gippsland it is locally 

 called " Mallee," from some fancied resemblance to the growth of that species, 

 growing in a number of slender saplings, from one thickened stump-like butt. 



This variety agrees in almost all respects with that figured by Baron von Mueller, 

 and described by Sieber as E. rigida, except that the fruit, in my example, has no 

 prominent rim, and is rather hemispheric than truncate-ovate. 



E. sieberiana. — There are two well-marked varieties of this Eucalypt which I 

 distinguish as {a) and (b). E. sieberiana [a) occurs extensively on almost all 

 formations, in parts of Gippsland, up to an elevation of 3000ft., near Grant and the 

 sources of the Wentworth River, and at 4500ft. on Mount Wellington. It is 

 characterised by a very rough deeply-fissured bark, which is persistent on the stem 

 and larger limbs only, hence its local names of "gum top," or "silver top ;" its name, 

 " white ironbark," only refers to the colour of the wood. It grows especially on 

 the dry tops of the mountain ridges, and upon their sunny slopes. 



E. sieberiana (6) occurs only in the mountains above the limit of E. sieberiana 

 {a), sometimes as low as 2500ft., but in other places, as on the summit of the Great 

 Dividing Range at the sources of the Livingstone Creek, where E. sieberiana [a) 

 ceases at 3000ft., and E. sieberiana {b) commences at 3500ft. It extends on the 

 summits of the higher mountains, e.g., the Bowen Mountains, near Omeo, and the 

 Dargo High Plains to about 4500ft. 



I estimate the height to which the tree attains as not exceeding 200ft. The bark 

 is fibrous, and rather like that of E. obliqua, but perhaps more flaky ; it is persistent 

 upon the bole, the upper part of which and the branches are smooth, but with much 

 detached bark, pendant from the forks and from the termination of the persistent 

 bark. 



The seedlings of these two trees have much the same features, Imt that of the 

 (a) variety is much darker, and the stems more purple or reddish in tint. The fruit 

 also is usually smaller and darker, but otherwise no marked difference can be observed 

 between the seedlings of these varieties. 



The timber of the {b) variety is of a light colour, long in grain, and remarkably 

 fissile, yet elastic. It is not a heavy wood, and it seems to me should be valuable for 

 many purposes. About 20 years ago, at Omeo, I made a set of swingle-bars for a 

 four-horse team from this timber, which stood work remarkably weh, and one of 

 which is still in existence after much hard usage. I have also seen palings split from 

 this tree over 6ft. in length, which were so clean, that after being planed up, were 

 used successfully as weatherboards. Locally the tree is caUed "Woolly-butt," from 

 the character of the bark, and also " Momitain Ash." 



