156. Eucalyptus coriacea. 



(A. Cunn., Schau., in Walp. Rep., ii, 925.) 

 (Syn. E. pauciflora, Sieb.) 



Cabbage or White Gum. 



Systematic. A tall tree in favourable situations, but is found in a dwarf 

 form on Mount Kosciusko, Snowy Mountains, N.S.W. Bark clean, white, and 

 smooth, hence called " White Gum." Leaves lanceolate, comparatively large, thick, 

 acuminating into a recurved point, falcate, sometimes over 9 inches long and i^ 

 inch wide ; venation often obscured, lateral veins very oblique and almost 

 parallel to the mid-rib, giving the leaf a several-nerved appearance. Peduncles 

 axillary, varying in length up to 6 lines, flattened or terete, bearing few flowers, 

 shortly pedicellate or sessile. Calyx 3 lines long, pear-shaped ; operculum hemi- 

 spherical, depressed or conical, but obtuse. 



Fruit. Pear-shaped, contracted at the rim, which is 

 either broad and truncate, or thin and 

 countersunk ; valves not exserted ; 4 to 6 

 lines in diameter. 



These fruits resemble these of E. vitrca, and also 



T- * I 



E. ovata. 



Habitat. Coast district, but chiefly on the Tableland, New 

 South Wales. This (strictly speaking) mountain 

 species extends from the New England Ranges into 

 Victoria and South Australia. 



REMARKS. -It has a clean white stem, and is conspicuous in the landscape. The thick leathery leaves, 

 fruit, and timber differentiate it from E. stellulata, Sieb., E. vitrea, R.T.B., &c., species having a somewhat similar 

 venation. The timber is hard, pale-coloured, but seasons badly, and is little valued, being subject to gum veins. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were 

 obtained from Ilford, N.S.W., in July, 1898. The yield of oil was 0-45 per cent. 

 The crude oil was light yellowish-brown in colour, and had a peppermint odour, 

 due to the presence of a small quantity of piperitone. Much phellandrene was 

 present, but pinene only in small amount. A very small quantity of cineol was 

 detected in the first fraction. The higher-boiling portion consisted largely of 

 the sesquiterpene, together with eudesmol. Esters were not pronounced. The 

 oil of this species differs greatly from that of E. phlebophylla, a species which 

 has botanical features similar to those of E. coriacea. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8947 ; rotation a 29-3 ; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4845, and was soluble in i volume 80 per cent, alcohol. 

 The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 4-6. 



On rectification, i per cent, distilled below 174 C. (corr.). Between 

 174-188, 63 per cent, distilled ; between 188-204, J 3 P er cent, came over, and 

 between 204-280, 19 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following 

 results : 



First fraction, sp. gr. at 15 C. = 0-8676; rotation a D - 30-3. 



Second ,, ,, ,, = 0-8750; ,, not taken. 



Third =0-9380; ,, not taken. 



