958 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



686 



PART III. 



Eudtemia tetragbna R. Br. (Swt. Fl. Austr., t. '21. , 

 and our fig. 686.) is a native of New Holland, at 

 Lucky Bay, where it forms a tree growing to the 

 height of 20 ft., and producing its white flowers in 

 Julv. It was introduced in 1824. 



Sect. II. EULEPTOSPE'RME^E. Stamens free. Fruit dry. 



The genus Eucalyptus is a very remarkable one. The name is derived 

 from eu y well, and kalypto, to cover as with a lid ; in reference to the limb 

 of the calyx covering the flower before expansion, and afterwards falling 

 off in one piece, in the shape of a lid or cover. The calyx is cup-shaped. 

 Petals wanting. Stamens numerous and free. Capsule 4-celled, and many- 

 seeded. The leaves quite entire, and coriaceous. Peduncles axillary, and 

 bearing an umbel of 3 15 flowers, which are white. The genus con- 

 sists of above 100 species, or varieties, all timber trees, growing to 

 a great height, and natives of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land. 

 Those belonging to the latter country appear to be decidedly half- 

 hardy in the neighbourhood of London : some of them, as E. robusta 

 and E. pulverulenta, are almost quite hardy; and, in the south of England, 

 probably most of the species, if planted so as to form one entire wood, would 

 protect one another ; and, if they did not attain the size of timber trees, 

 would, at least, form a dense Australian copse. The chief reason why 

 these trees do not appear hardier in England is, that our summers are not 

 sufficiently hot thoroughly to ripen their wood ; for it appears that, in the 

 mountains of Van Diemen's Land, they are subject to be frequently covered 

 with snow. In Italy, as we have seen in p. 168., several of the species of this 

 genus have attained the height of 100 ft. in a very few years ; and in their 

 native country, as it appears from the information communicated in p. 186., 

 the height of 200 ft. is by no means unknown. We have had a number of por- 

 traits of full-grown trees of this and other genera made for us in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Sydney, by our friend Mr. Thompson, an eminent artist, resident 

 there ; and engravings from some of these drawings will be found under their 

 respective species. The wood of this genus is very durable. Dr. Laing states 

 that a stump of the blue gum tree (E.piperita) remained in the ground, quite 

 sound, for 35 years after the tree had been cut down. (Hist, and Slat., &c.) 

 The terms red, blue, and white gum trees, as applied to different species of 

 this genus, have reference to the colour of the bark. The bark contains a 

 great proportion of tannin, and is said to be twice as powerful in its opera- 

 tion as that obtained from the oak. 



Eucalyptus resinifera Smith (Bot. Rep., t. 400. ; and our figs. 688, 689. 691 : fig. 688. represents the 

 different parts of the flower, and fig. 691 is the portrait of a tree 200ft. high), the Iron Bark Tree, is a 

 native of New Holland, where it produces a resin.which, for all medical purposes, is considered equal 

 to kino It was introduced into Britain in 1788, and flowers from April to July. In its native coun- 

 try, it is from 150ft. to 200ft. high. A tree at Saxmundham in Suffolk, sown by the widow of Sir 

 J. E. Smith, is upwards of 20 ft. high, with two stems, each'of which is as thick as a man's leg. About 

 London, it requires very little protection, when planted against a wall. 



