or 



UJTIVERSITT 



EUCALYPTUS. 



GENERAL POINTS, 



The Eucalyptus is a genus of hard wood, evergreen 

 trees and shrubs. It belongs to the order Myrtaceae 

 and to the tribe Leptospermese. The name was suggested 

 by the lid or cap-like covering over the immature flower. 

 It is from the Greek and may be translated "well hidden." 

 This genus was discovered and described first by L'Heritier, 

 in 1788; who based it on t"he species "obliqua." The 

 blue gum was discovered ten years later by Labilliardiere, 

 who described Eucalyptus cornuta at the same time. In 

 1806 Labilliardiere described two other of the more valuable 

 species, viz: Eucalyptus viminalis and Eucalyptus amygdalina. 

 It is said that so large were the trees of the blue gum first 

 seen by Labilliardiere in Tasmania, that he could ascertain 

 that they were in flower only by his telescope. The flowers 

 were brought down after prolonged firing at the upper 

 branches with guns. Labilliardiere says in his own notes 

 that he obtained the flowers and fruit by chopping down 

 a tree. 



The genus just escaped being called Aromandendrum. 

 This name was given by Dr. Wm. Anderson, who des- 

 cribed it independently when with Cook's second voyage 



