

89. Eucalyptus Nepeanensis. 



(Sp. nov.) 

 Box. 



Systematic. A medium-sized tree, with ' Box" bark on the lower 

 portions >>! the stem. Leaves lanceolate, but very variable in size, from I. road 



lanceolate : inches 1 id and over <> inches in length) to narrow lanceo- 



(2 line- broad and over (> inches long), ovate, acuminate, under | 

 inches long, dull or slightly shining, uniform green on both sides; venation 

 distinct lateral veins oblique, intramarginal vein removed from the edge, and 

 especially so in the case "i the broad lanceolate and ovate forms oi the leaves. 

 Peduncles axillary, 4 to 5 lino long, with six or more flowers in the umbel. Buds 

 about 6 lines Ion-,, angular in the early stages. < alyx 1 .1 lines in diameter at 

 the time oi flowering, hemispherical; operculum hemispherical, acuminate 1! 

 lines Inn-. 



Fruit.- Hemispherical to pyriform ; rim flat or slightly 

 countersunk; valves not exserted; undei ; 

 lines in diameter. 



The fruits arc not much unlike those <>J E. melliodora 

 or E. Bosi toana, with which species it has the most 

 affinity. 



Habitat.— Cabramatta, St. Marys, New South Wales. 



REMARKS. Sinci thi publication of the "Flora A ustraliensis," it has been usual to place this pi 

 an 1 /■.'. pendula (both of Cunningham) under Mutlk-i / hn ljiIoi, ns. With such a e t;r - ,i n ■ at ion we do not 



as Cunningham's specific names apply to interior species, whilst this is a stal 1 1 ee with a pale-* oloured 



whitish timber, " Eon " barked onlj on the lower portion ol the stem, and with erei I branches and branchlets. In 

 .111 firs) edition it \ pi i d and fully described under E. biculm. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. — Leaves and terminal branchlets tor distillation were 

 obtained from St Marys, X.S.W.. in November, i<)00. The yield 0!' oil was 0-53 

 per cent. The crude oil was amber-coloured, and had an odour resembling those 

 of the cineol-pinene class of Eucalyptus oils. It was rich in cineol; pinene 

 was present, but phellandrene was absent. The oil also contained rather a 

 large amount of the sesquiterpene, so that the specific gravity was somewhat 

 high. Crystallised eudesmol was not delected. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-9259; rotation </„ + i-i°; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4677, and was soluble iu i| volumes 70 per cent, 

 alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was ;•(>. 



On rectification, 1 per cent, distilled below 171 ('. (corr.). Between 

 171 183°, 71 per cent, distilled; between [83 245 , 14 per cent, came over, ami 

 between 2 15 269°, 9 per cent, distill^!. The-, fractions gave the following 

 results : — 



First fraction, -p. gr. at 15 = 0-9197; rotation a,, + 2-10°. 

 Second ,, ,, ., = 0-92 1 ; ,, not taken 



Third „ ., „ = 0-9457; „ „ 



The cineol, determined bj the phosphoric acid method in the first fraction, 

 was 70 per cent. (< >.M.), indicating aboul 5 ( » per cent, in the original oil. 



