28' 



153. Eucalyptus vitrea. 



(R.T.B Pro Linn Soc, N.S.W., i !, t. XV.) 



White Top Messmate. 



Systematic. A tall tree, with a roughish bark, similar to / dalina, 



LabilL, the extremities of the branches being smooth. Abnormal leaves alti n 

 or opposite, with a short petiole, or sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, and 

 6 inches long, i.l inch broad; lateral veins diverging from below the middle oi 

 the mid-rib, prominent on both sides, intramarginal vein removed from the 

 edge. Normal leaves narrow, lanceolate, aboul 6 inches long, and 6 to g lines 

 wide, shining on both sides, a dull gre< n when fresh, but drying a lighl slate colour, 

 petiole short ; lateral veins few, and almost parallel to the mid-rib, two generally 

 commencing at the base of the mid-rib, and running the whole length ol the leaf, 

 and almost parallel to the mid-rib. Peduncles axillary, short, 2 to 3 lines long, 

 bearing generally from five to eight flowers; buds from z\ to 4 lines long; oper- 

 culum hemispherical, shortly acuminate. 



Fruit. Shortly pedicellate, hemispherical to pyri- 

 form, shining; rim thick, red, slightly 

 convex; about 3 to 5 lines in diameter, 

 and 3 to 5 lines in length. 



'/'/;(■ hemispherical form much resembles E. dives, but 

 is target . and the pyriform shape is like E. coriacea. 



Habitat. Crookwell, Moss Vale, mountains north of Marulan, 

 Bungendore, and Delegate, New South Wales; 

 Victoria. 



REMARKS. This tree is also known la illj as' 5ilvei top Messmate,' Peppermint," and " Messmate " ; 

 I, ut m connection with this species it is not proposed to perpetuate the two lattei vernacular names, which should be. 

 we think, restricted to E dives, Schau., and E. phellandra, respectivelj li is called "Silver-top" from the 

 glinting of the shining leavi in the sunlight, whii h causes them to appeal ilvery. For a imilar reason I 

 ?< T.B., is called " Silvei top Stringybark." In the South it is known i ' B; ard Messmate." This tree has been 

 confounded with / coriacea, A. ( nun. when determined on herbarium material alone. In the field, howeve i1 

 willo ranee differentiates it from J a i rhi trei hi i thi i oughish ' Messmate " or smooth hark, 

 and always clean or white limbs, and a leal ven ition similar to thi t of E. and more particularly peri 



that eb Che term "White-top" is. no doubt, used to distinguish il from the "Messmate," E. 

 phellandra not that the leaves are white, but only, as stafc >ve, appeal i from the reflected light of the sun 

 from the glossy surface of the leaves, and from which feature it take its peci ame. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. — Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Crookwell, N.S.W., in June, moo. The yield of oil was 1-5 per 

 cent. The crude oil was almost colourless, and had a somewhat pleasant peppei 

 mint odour, although the ketone piperitone does not occur in great amount. 

 1'helhuidrene was presenl in quantity, but pinene almost absent. Cineol was 

 detected to th«e\i, -id of about 20 to 25 per cent, in the crude nil. The third fraction 

 contained the sesquiterpene. A constituent having a strong lemon odour was 

 also present; this was probabhj citral, as the aldehyde reaction was obtained, 

 but it was not in sufficient quantity to separate. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 (\ = o-NS(, ; rotation u v , 30-1°; 

 refractive index at 20° = 1-4771, and was soluble in 1 volume 80 per cent, alcohol, 

 1 h<- saponification number fo] the esters and free acid was 5-4. 



