324 



The cultivated tree from which the leaves and terminal branchlets were 

 obtained for distillation was growing on land resumed by the Government upon 

 which to erect the new Sydney Railway Station ; it was collected in February, 

 1902. The yield of oil was 0-6 per cent. The oil was but little coloured and had 

 the citronellal odour characteristic of the oil of this species. 



The crude oil had specific gravity at 15 C. = = 0-864 '< rotation D - - 1-0 ; 

 refractive index at 20 = 1-4594, and was soluble in i volumes 70 per cent, 

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

 aldehyde determination carried out in the ordinary manner showed 91 per cent, 

 absorption ; this was assumed to be wholly citronellal. 



Only a very small amount of a terpene could have been present, and both 

 cineol and phellandrene were absent. 



A sample of the commercially distilled oil was forwarded to the Museum 

 in 1909, by Mr. F. D. Ferguson, who had distilled it at Gladstone, Queensland. 

 It was but little coloured; had specific gravity at 15 C. : 0-8697; rotation 

 D + 1-7; refractive index at 20 = 1-4596, and was soluble in i^ volumes 70 

 per cent, alcohol. An aldehyde determination gave a result of 92 per cent, of 

 citronellal. 



In October, 1919, material was collected for distillation from three-year 

 old plants, grown from seed by Mr. E. Cheel, at Ashfield, near Sydney. The 

 yield of oil was i per cent. The product was but little coloured, and was an ex- 

 cellent sample of the oil of this species. It had specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8657 ; 

 rotation a D 1-1 ; refractive index at 20 = 1.4515, and was soluble in i\ volumes 

 70 per cent, alcohol. An aldehyde determination showed that 95 per cent, was 

 absorbed. 



A sample of the oil of this species distilled at the Dunolly Farm in Victoria, 

 was examined by Mr. J. C. Umney (Pharm. Journ. IV. 3, p. 200.). It had 

 specific gravity at 15 C. = 0-8809; rotation a D -- i; and contained 90 per cent, 

 of aldehyde. 



The yield of oil from this species varies somewhat according to the age 

 of the material distilled, but under the most favourable conditions it should be 

 about i per cent. In the year 1910, Mr. Ferguson obtained a yield averaging 

 0-89 per cent, from 80 tons of material. 



174. Eucalyptus Marsdeni. 



(Cuthbcrt Hall, in Proc. Linn. Soc., N.S.W., 1918, p. 747.) 



Systematic. A tree 30 feet high in specimen observed, and probably would 

 attain a height of 60 to 80 feet when fully grown. Bark smooth on the upper 

 branches, laminated with an ochreous deposit on the outer surface of aach layer, 

 inner bark very hard and compact. Abnormal leaves alternate narrow-lanceo- 

 late, falcate, petiolate, acuminate, thin, and shining, up to 6 inches long. Normal 

 leaves lanceolate, acuminate, falcate, thin, usually under 6 inches long; venation 

 less pronounced in older leaves, intramarginal vein fairly close to the edge, looped, 



