250 



133. Eucalyptus ovalifolia. 



(R.T.B., Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S.W., 1900, p. 680, t. XLVI, figs. 6a, 6b.) 



Systematic. A medium-sized tree, with a smooth bark, decorticating at 

 the base of the trunk, producing a roughish appearance. Leaves small, of light 

 yellowish colour, sometimes glaucous, oval, or ovate, shortly acuminate, mostly 

 2 inches long and f inch wide, rarely 3 inches long, petiole slender, under i inch 

 long ; venation faintly marked, lateral veins distinct, oblique, spreading, the intra- 

 marginal vein removed from the edge, producing at the base of the leaf a trinerved 

 appearance. Flowers in axillary or terminal panicles, six to eight in the head. 

 Calyx tube under 2 lines long, i line in diameter, tapering into a slender 

 pedicel ; operculum hemispherical, depressed, very shortly acuminate. 



Fruit. Small on slender pedicels, or occasionally 

 almost sessile, contracted slightly at the 

 orifice ; rim thin ; valves not exserted ; 2 

 lines long and ij lines in diameter. 



Not at all unlike those of E. crebra, E. polybractea, 

 or a smaller form of E. caerulea. 



Habitat. Bathurst, Rylstone, Camboon, Margraves, Gsro2;ery, 

 N.S.W. 



REMARKS. A medium-sized or rather stunted tree, growing in poor, sandy or rocky soil (Devonian). 

 The bark is smooth, except occasionally a foot or two from the ground, where it is rough, something like a 

 " Box " bark. It is allied to E. melliodfra in the shape and venation of the leaves, and, perhaps, in the exterior 

 character of the bark, but has not the yellow stain on the inner surface such as obtains in E. melliodora. It 

 differs, however, from that species in the shape of the fruits, colour of timber, and chemical constituents of its oil. 

 The typical E. polyanthemos, Sch.. of Victoria, has a persistent " Box " bark, larger and more acuminate, 

 orbicular shaped leaves and larger fruits. The oils of the two species are not at all identical ; however, there is 

 a resemblance in their timbers. It is an entirely different species from E. Dawsoni or E. polyanthemos. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Henbury, Rylstone, N.S.W., in December, 1918. The yield of 

 oil was 0-27 per cent. The colour of the crude oil was a light orange-brown, 

 and the odour quite rank and unpleasant. Much phellandrene was present, 

 but pinene only detected in small quantity ; a fairly large amount of the sesqui- 

 terpene was found. The esters were not pronounced. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-9058 ; rotation D 8-9; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4864, and was soluble in i volume 80 per cent, alcohol. 

 The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 6-2. 



On rectification, 2 per cent, distilled below 172 C. (corr.). Between 

 172-188, 62 per cent, distilled; between 188-256, 15 per cent, came over, and 

 between 256-270, 15 per cent, distilled. The third fraction consisted largely 

 of the sesquiterpene. The fractions gave the following results : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8925; rotation a D -- 14-1. 



Second ,, ,, ,, = 0-9046; ,, not taken. 



Third ,, ,, ,, =0-9305; ,, not taken. 



The oil of this species has little resemblance to that of E. polyanthemos, 

 but corresponded to that of the " Lignum- vit ae " of St. Mary's (E. Fletcheri], the 

 oils of both species containing similar constituents in practically the same 

 amounts. At the time of distillation, the oil of E. ovalifolia contained a very 

 small quantity of cineol, but after keeping for eighteen months it was found to 

 contain about 15 per cent, of that constituent. 



