319 



Material of this species for distillation was obtained at Rydal, N.S.W., 

 in September, 1909. The yield of oil was 0-038 per cent. The oil was in general 

 agreement with that from Pagan's Creek, and contained a considerable amount 

 of ester, the alcohol of which was amyl, but the solid acid did not agree with the 

 characters obtained with eudesmic acid. It is thus possible that two esters occur 

 in the oil of this species. Efforts were made to decide this point, and material 

 for distillation was collected at Rydal in January, 1920, but unfortunately, 

 at this time of the year, sufficient oil was not present to separate from the 

 distilled water. 



The Rydal oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-9474; rotation a D + 11-2, 

 and refractive index at 20 = 1-4977. The saponification number for the esters 

 and free acid was ng'5. 



The alcohol of the ester was separated, oxidised to valeric acid, and the 

 silver salt of this prepared; the metallic silver thus obtained was 51-74 per cent., 

 which is almost a theoretical result. It was thus evident that the alcohol of the 

 ester was amyl. 



The solid acid when purified was in paraffin-like leaflets and melted at 

 76-5 C. ; by titration with a deci-normal solution of sodium hydrate, a molecular 

 value 135-6 was obtained. It was a saturated acid, and when treated with 

 manganese dioxide and sulphuric acid gave an odour of benyaldehyde. This 

 evidence points to this acid being phenyl-acetic acid. Unfortunately the species 

 produces almost the least oil of any, so that sufficient for investigation was 

 difficult to procure. 



171. Eucalyptus Staigeriana. 



(F.v.M., in Edit. Bailey in Synopsis Queensland Flora, 176, 1883.) 

 Lemon-scented Ironbark. 



Systematic. A medium-sized tree with glaucous foliage. Leaves ovate 

 to lanceolate, usually under 5 inches long, obtuse, sometimes shortly pointed; 

 venation fairly distinct, especially on the under surface, intramarginal vein looped, 

 usually well removed from the edge, but sometimes quite close, lateral veins 

 spreading, inclined at about 45 to the mid-rib. Peduncles axillary or lateral, 

 4 to 6 lines long, each with three to six flowers, often in' terminal panicles. Buds 

 glaucous ; calyx tube semi-ovate, contracted to a slender pedicel ; operculum 

 conical. 



Fruit. Semi-ovoid to hemispherical, on slender 



pedicels ; rim thin ; valves slightly exserted ; 



about 2\ lines long and 2 lines in diameter. 



Perhaps the two fruits closest in morphological affinity 

 are E. intertexta (some forms) and E. melliodora. 



Habitat. Palmer River, Queensland. 



ESSENTIAL OIL. The oil of this species of Eucalyptus is abnormal, as 

 it contains the aldehyde citral in some quantity. The oil was referred to by 

 Schimmel & Co., in the year 1888 (Semi-Annual Report), the specific gravity 

 being recorded as p-88o and the boiling point from 170-230 C. 



