20,2 



compressed peduncles, 9 lines long, with no1 many in the umbel. Calyx very 

 short, on a pedicel oi about 3 lines long ; operculum hemispherical, sometimes with 

 a point . 



Fruit. Pear-shaped, slightly contracted at the edge ; 



rim red. flat, thick; valves compressed; 



mostly about () lilies long and 3 lines in 



diameter. 



The fruits of two or three others are difficult to separate 

 from this species, viz. : \i. Consideniana, E. cam- 

 panulata, E. virgata. 



Habitat. Blue Mountains and Coast district of New Soutli 

 Wales; South Australia; Victoria; Tasmania, 

 where it is known as " Ironbark." 



REMARKS. Bentham (B. Fl., iii, p. 202) evidently includes this Eucalyptus under Siebcr's E. virgata, 

 hut Mueller, thinking Sieber's name inappropriate for so large a tree, suppresses Siebcr's name of E. virgata, and 

 renames his specimens, dedicating the tree to Sieber. The tree, as now understood, is one of the " Mountain Ashes " 

 of the Blue Mountains. Ihe bark is similar to that of an " Ironbark," and extends almost to the branrhlets, which 

 are always of a purple colour. The very greatest care is required in order not to confound this species with a " Mallee " 

 that is found on the Blue Mountains and other localities, and which has exactly identical foliage and fruits, and cannot, 

 therefore, be differentiated from it by dried specimens. We think this latter is E. virgata of Sieber, who would never 

 have applied such a name to so large a tree as E. Sicberiana, and Mueller must have suspected that Sieber referred 

 " to a different species " other than this " Mountain Ash," by a remark of his in his Eucalyptographia, under 

 E. Sicberiana. Morphologically, the two cannot be separated, and hence the confusion of Bentham, Woolls, and 

 others in the matter oi these two species. Judged, however, from field observations and chemical results the two 

 are quite distintt, and are so regarded in this work. (Vide remarks under /;. virgata.) 



ESSENTIAL OIL. — Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Barber's Creek, N.S.W., In April, 1898. The yield of oil was 0-5 

 per cent. The crude oil was but little-coloured, and had a peppermint odour, 

 due to the presence of a small quantity of piperitone. It had a strong resemblance 

 to the other oils of this class, such as E. dives, E. coriacea, E. radiata, &c. The 

 venation of the leaves is also similar to those of the members of this group. Much 

 phellandrene was present, but pinene only in small amount. Cineol could be 

 detected in the first fraction, but not more than 5 to 10 per cent. Crystallised 

 eudesmol was not detected, nor did the oil distilled from this species in September, 

 1899, contain that constituent. This latter material was obtained specially 

 for the purpose of deciding this point, as we were then investigating the oil of 

 E. virgata. Esters were very small in amount. Cymene probably occurs in this oil. 

 The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = o-888o ; rotation a„ — 43-3° ; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4829, and was insoluble in 10 volumes 80 per cent. 

 alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 2-5. 



On rectification, 2 per cent, distilled below 175 C. (corr.). Between 

 175-188 , 56 per cent, distilled; between 188-205 , 12 per cent, came over, and 

 between 205-266 , 22 per cent, distilled. The third fraction consisted largely of 

 the sesquiterpene. The fractions gave the following results :— 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8675; rotation <?„ 52-4°. 

 Second ,, ',, ,, = 0-8815; ,. * D 3<)-5°- 



Third ,, ,, ,, = 0-9382; ,, not taken. 



Material of this species for distillation was also obtained from the same 

 locality in September, 1899. With the exception that the yield of oil was lower, 

 and the lsevo-rotation a little less (both factors being due to the difference in the 

 time of the vear), it was practically identical with the previous sample, and 

 consisted of the same constituents in practically the same amounts. 



