[8 



9, Eucalyptus botryoides. 



(Sin., in Trans. I. inn. Soc, iii. 286.) 

 Mahogany or Bangalay. 



Systematic. — In favourable situations a fine upstanding tree, but often 

 gnarled. Leaves lanceolate, broad, and about 6 inches long, shining on the upper 

 side, drying a slate colour; venation well marked, veins transverse, fine and 

 numerous, the intramarginal vein near the edge. Buds compact and sessile, in 

 the early stage the whole covered by a calyptra. Flowers in axillary clusters; 

 calyx angular, cylindrical ; operculum conical, short. 



Fruit.— Mostly sessile, ovoid-oblong, or rounded 

 with a circular groove below the edge; 

 rim countersunk, with or without one or 

 two ridges at the base; valves flat and 

 not exserted, or slightly exserted in some 

 instances ; 4 lines long and 3 lines in 

 diameter. 



Habitat. — Coast district from the North-east corner of Victoria 

 into" Queensland. 



REMARKS- -Although as a general rule the " Mahogany," or " Bangalay," occurs on the banks 

 of creeks, when it is much gnarled, yet it is often to be seen growing on elevati I ground and with a straight trunk 

 of large dimensions. The bark is red-coloured, short-fibred, flaky, and brittle. The timber is hard, close-grained, 

 red-coloured, and very durable. The sessile, elongated fruits and buds are characteristic, and almost sufficient 

 alone for the botanical determination of the species. It is fast disappearing in the county of Cumberland, New South 

 Wales, owing to settlement. 



ESSENTIAL OIL.— Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Milton, N.S.W., in February, 1900. The yield of oil was o-n 

 per cent. The crude oil was dark reddish-brown in colour; the odour rank and 

 far from pleasant. It was very mobile and consisted principally of dextropinene ; 

 phellandrene was not present, and but a very small quantity of cineol was 

 detected in the oil distilling between 175-180 C. The higher boiling portion 

 consisted largely of the sesquiterpene. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8778, and required 7 

 volumes 80 per cent, alcohol to form a clear solution. The refractive index at 

 20° — 1-4730. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 21-4. 

 The very dark colour of the crude oil indicated an excess of free acid, while 

 the action of the alcoholic potash on the oil suggested that the ester was 

 largely geranyl-acetate, a substance commonly occurring in oils at this end of 

 the genus. The phenols were also pronounced in this oil. 



On rectification the usual amount of acid water and volatile aldehydes, 

 for oils of this group, came over below 160 C. (corr.). Between 160-190°, 87 per 

 cent, distilled, and between 190-256°, 5 per cent, came over. The large fraction 

 had sp. gr. at 15° = 0-873; rotation a B + 23-75°. 



The first fraction was again redistilled, when between 158° and 164° C, 

 33 percent, came over; and between 164° and 174°, 35 per cent, distilled. The 

 specific gravity of the first fraction = 0-8696; and the second fraction = 0-8736. 



