Q9 



47. Eucalyptus polyanthemos. 



(Schau., in Walp. Rep., ii, 924, 1843.) 

 Red Box. 



Systematic. A fair-sized tree, with a persistent " Box " bark right out 

 to the branchlets. Leaves oval, ovate-acuminate or emarginate to lanceolate, 

 the latter form about 3 inches long, and the former generally under 3 inches in 

 diameter, glaucous, thin to almost coriaceous, petiole rather slender, measuring 

 sometimes over i inch long; venation strongly marked, intramarginal vein 

 removed from the edge, particularly so in the abnormal leaves, lateral veins 

 oblique, distant. Flowers in terminal or axillary panicles. Calyx under 2 

 lines, tapering into a short pedicel; operculum hemispherical, shortly acuminate. 



Fruit. Hemispherical or pear-shaped on a rather 

 slender pedicel ; rim thin, contracted, 

 notched; valves inserted; under 3 lines 

 in diameter. 



Could easilv be confused with E. Fletcheri and perhaps 

 E. melanophloia, but less pilular than the latter. 



Habitat. Pambula, Bungendore, Albury, Delegate River, 

 New South Wales; Queensland and Victoria. 



REMARKS. This tree is characterised principally by its hard, red timber and persistent " Box" bark. 

 It is very difficult to differentiate herbarium material of this species from that of E. Fletcheri, R.T.B., but in the field 

 the two are easily determined. The chemistry of the oils of the two trees also shows them to be dissimilar. E. 

 ovalifolia, R.T.B., which is also locally known by the name of " Red Box," is not to be confounded with E. polyan- 

 themos, Schau., as it has a smooth white bark and characteristic leaves, which differ from those of E. polyanthemos 

 and E. Flelcheri. " Slaty Gum." E. Dawsoni, R.T.B., is also quite a distinct tree from E, polyanthemos, Schau. 

 I Vide also chemistry of oils of these species in this work.) 



ESSENTIAL OIL. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Bungendore, N.S.W., in July, 1898. The yield of oil was 0-83 per 

 cent. The crude oil was of a light amber colour, and had an odour resembling 

 those of the cineol-pinene class of Eucalyptus oils. It was rich in cineol, contained 

 some pinene, but phellandrene was absent. The oil may be considered a good 

 one for pharmaceutical purposes, although the esters were present in rather 

 large amount. Unfortunately the yield of oil is somewhat small. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-9281 ; rotation a a + 5-4; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4679, and was soluble in ij volumes of 70 per cent. 

 alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 20-7. 



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

 over below 170 C. (corr.). Between 170-183, 83 per cent, distilled ; between 

 183-224, 10 per cent, came over, and between 224-240, only 2 per cent, distilled, 

 which portion consisted largely of a sesquiterpene. These fractions gave the 

 following : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-9182; rotation D + 5-1. 

 Second ,, ,, ,, =0-9282; ,, + 2-5. 



The cineol determined by the phosphoric acid method in the large fraction 

 was 65 per cent., or about 54 per cent, in the crude oil (O.M.). 



