267 



In August, 1912, leaves for distillation were collected by Mr. L. G. Irby, 

 from trees which, although growing amongst E. obliqua on Mt. Wellington, 

 Tasmania, at an altitude of about 1,000 feet, had a smooth top, the " stringy- 

 bark " supposed to be characteristic for this species only reaching to the, 

 branches. The oil distilled from this material was identical in all respects with 

 that of the typical E. obliqua. The yield of oil was 0-77 per cent. ; specific 

 gravity of crude oil at 15 C. = 0-8845 ', rotation a D 28-8 ; refractive index at 

 20 = 1-4835, and was soluble in 3 volumes 80 per cent, alcohol. 



The presence of aromadendral and absence of piperitone in the oil of 

 E. obliqua, is a distinguishing feature, and enables these trees to be easily separated 

 from all allied forms growing in Tasmania. It is thus seen that the persistence 

 of the outer " stringy-bark " is only relative, and we have noticed with E. 

 pilularis that the outer bark will occasionally only persist a few feet from the 

 ground. 



The Monga sample was preserved in 'the dark, and in November, 1919, was 

 again analysed. Very little alteration had taken place during the twenty-one 

 years it had been stored, and the phellandrene had only altered slightly in optical 

 rotation. 58 per cent, distilled below 190 C. The crude oil and the rectified 

 portion gave the following results : 



Crude oil, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8966; rotation a D - - 22; refractive index 



at 20 1-4882. 

 Rectified portion ,, = 0-8723 ; rotation a D - - 23-7 ; refractive index 



at 20 = 1-4817. 



The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in the rectified portion ; 

 when calculated for the crude oil, the result was 15 'per cent. 



The cineol was removed from a portion of the rectified oil by shaking with 

 50 per cent, resorcinol. The remaining oil had an odour indicating cymene. It 

 had specific gravity at 15 = 0-8621 ; and refractive index at 20 = 1-4858. These 

 results indicated that both phellandrene and cymene were present, and together 

 with the occurrence of the aromadendral, suggest that this species is more closely 

 related to the members of the " Box " group, than are the other " Stringybarks." 



