Eucalyptus.] XXXVII. MYRTACEiE. 231 



are often abortive, and these are generally enlarged, variously shaped, and 

 of a hard and uniform texture. 



Numerous species have been introduced into India ; they grow with 

 great rapidity, and the timber is much valued in Australia. It will here 

 suffice to mention two species as representatives of those which are com- 

 monly called in Australia Blue Gum and Stringy-bark. 



Leaves of old trees 4-6 in. long ; flowers small, umbellate ; fruit 



3-5 lines diam 1. E. obliqua. 



Leaves 6-12 in. long ; flowers large, sessile; fruit 9-12 lines diam. 2. E. Globulus. 



1. E. obliqua, L'Htfr. ; Benth. Fl. Austral, iii. 205. Syn. E. gigantea, 

 Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. i. t. 28. Stringy -bark. 



An immense tree, attaining from 150 to 250 ft. with a very tenacious 

 rugged, fibrous bark, flaking off in stringy masses. Leaves of youug 

 trees opposite, of flowering branches alternate, ovate-lanceolate, falcate, 

 and very oblique at the base, more or less acuminate, 4-6 in. long, with 

 oblique distant, anastomosing veins, inserted along the midrib, and in- 

 tramarginal veins at some distance from the edge. Peduncles axillary 

 or lateral, bearing each an umbel of about 4-12 flowers. Operculum 

 shorter than calyx-tube. Stamens \ in. long, all perfect ; anther-cells 

 diverging or at length divaricate and confluent at the apex. Fruit more 

 or less pear-shaped, truncate at the top, 3-5 lines diameter ; capsule more 

 or less sunk. Seeds minute. 



This kind of Stringy-bark forms vast forests in Victoria and South Australia, 

 and is abundant in Tasmania, forming a great part of the hill forests, and 

 ascending to 4000 ft. Specimens have been felled in the valleys at the base of 

 Mount Wellington, Tasmania, 300 ft. high and 100 ft. in girth. Has been in- 

 troduced extensively on the Nilgiris, and on a smaller scale, by way of experi- 

 ment, in the Panjab, and in several places of the North-West Himalaya. 



2. E. Globulus, Labillardiere ; Benth. 1. c. 225 ; Paxton's Flower Gar- 

 den, ii. 38, fig. 153. Blue Gum. 



A lofty tree, attaining 350 ft. Foliage when crushed of a powerful 

 almost offensive smell. Young shoots and foliage glaucous-grey. Leaves 

 of the young tree opposite, sessile and cordate; of the full-grown tree 

 lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, falcate, often 6-12 in. long, with 

 oblique, conspicuous anastomosing veins, all inserted along the midrib, 

 and intramarginal veins at some distance from the edge. Flowers large, 

 axillary, solitary or 2-3 together, closely sessile on the branch or on a ped- 

 uncle not longer than thick. Calyx-tube broadly turbinate, thick, woody, 

 more or less ribbed or rugose, J-j in. diameter. Operculum shorter than 

 calyx-tube. Stamens above j in. long ; anthers ovate with parallel cells. 

 Fruit semiglobular, f-1 in. diameter ; capsule nearly level with the rim. 

 Seeds minute ; 10,000 sifted fertile seeds per ounce (F. v. Mueller). 



Gregarious in Victoria and the south of Tasmania. Introduced on the Nil- 

 giris and (experimentally) in the Panjab. Cultivated in the plantations made 

 in the south of France (near Nice) on barren hills. Growth extremely rapid 

 while young (9 ft. girth in twenty years on the Nilgiris). Heartwood brown, 

 hard, tough, durable, takes a fine polish. The leaves are used as a febrifuge in 

 Australia. 



