65 



Leaves. In exceptional cases, other gum-trees have even longer leaves; 

 but some of the present species I received from the southern part of thig 

 State almost measured 17 inches without the stalk. 



Fruit. The angularity to which it owes its specific name may be 

 noted. It is more evident on some trees than on others. 



Bark. At Hassan's Walls, Mount Victoria, N.S.W., has " box " bark up 

 to the first fork and beyond. 



Timber. Mueller describes the Victorian wood as- 



Hard and tough. usually free from kino veins. It varies from a pale yellow- 

 ish to a brownish colour, is exceedingly durable, and lasts longer underground, 

 imt warping, and on account of the interwoven woody fibres is almost as 

 difficult to split as /;. rotstruta. It is much esteemed by wheelwrights, particu- 

 la,rly for spokes, for ship and boat building, for railway sleepers, and when not 

 used for better purposes, it is sought for fuel. According to Mr. Boyle, the 

 rough-barked variety* from low. dry. and stony ranges, supplies a timber 

 which wheelwrights consider equal to ironbark, with the advantage of its 

 not being so weighty: the taller mountain variety, with smoother bark, is more 

 used for planks, piles, and general building purposes the timber also in this 

 instance being more durable than that from wet forest valleys. This wood 

 resembles, in many respects, that of E. 



Habitat. It is confined to Gippsland (Victoria) and New South Wales. 



New South Wales. With us, E. gonintly.c is usually known as Mountain 

 Gum; I have also heard it called Blue Gum, Ribbon Gum, and other names. 

 It is usually found in gullies bottoms or sides and prefers good soil. It 

 attains a diameter of 6 feet, and with 80 feet or 90 -feet of barrel. Its 

 timber has been passed both for Tallow-wood (E. microcorys) and Box 

 (E. hemiphloia), but it more closely resembles the former. It is very hard 

 when dry, and nails do not readily drive in it; hence it is not so well liked 

 for building purposes as some softer but inferior timbers. It stands well 

 in the ground. 



While not of equal merit to Ironbark, Tallow-wood, and other first-class 

 timbers of the State, it is undoubtedly of considerable value, and deserves 

 an honourable place amongst the timbers of the second-class. 



In New South Wales it is sometimes known as " Yellow Gum," owing to 

 the yellowish cast of the foliage (especially when young), of the bark, and 

 of the timber (particularly when fresh). There are several so-called 

 " Yellow Gums " in New South Wales, but they must not be confused with 

 the "Yellow Box" or "Yellow Jacket" (E. melliodora). 



In New South Wales it occurs in the South Coast districts, and also in 

 the Coast and Main Range, and its spurs at least as far north and west as 

 the Blue Mountains. We require further investigation to determine its 

 northern boundary. Following are some localities in this State represented 

 in the National Herbarium, Sydney : 



SOUTH. 



" Mountain Gum." Cathcart and Tantawanglo Mountain (H. Deane 



and J. H. Maiden). 

 "Ribbon Gum." Candelo. (A. Rudder); Cooma District (W. Hutchin- 



son) ; Twofold Bay (Lockhart Morton). 

 " Grey Gum." Benandra (J. S. Allan) ; West Dapto (R. H. Cambage) ; 



Braidwood (J. S. Allan). 

 "Yellow Gum." Wingello (A. Murphy, J. H. Maiden, J. L. Boorman) ; 



Tlill Top, a few miles north of Mittagong (J. H. Maiden). 



*E. elaeophora, F. v. M. 

 + 94031 C 



