630 



BOTANY 



TAUT II 



Australia, especially E. globulus, are commonly planted in Italy, on account of their 

 rapid growth and useful timber. Young plants have opposite, sessile leaves, but 

 older trees bear stalked, sickle-shaped leaves which hang vertically. The shadeless 

 condition of the Australian forests formed by tliese trees, depends in part on 



Fig. 653. — Rhizophora conjngalH (J iiat. size). 



this character, but is partly due to the distance apart of the individual trees. 

 E. amyfjdalina, wliich reaches a height of 155 m. and a circumference of 30 ni. at 

 the base of the trunk, is one of the largest forest trees known, rsidium guayava 

 and some species of Jambosa bear edible fruits ; the former is especially valued. 

 Eugenia earyophyllata (Moluccas) is of economic importance, its unopened flower- 

 buds forming Cloves (Fig. 655). This tree is commonly cultivated in the tropics. 

 It has a beautiful appearance when the terminal groups of flowers (which in bud 

 are of a briglit red colour with four united, white petals, and when opened exhibit 



