CHARACTEKISTICS OF THE CiENUS EUCALYPTUS. 27 



THE FOIilAGE. 



The Eucalypts present great variety in the appearance of their foli- 

 age. Of some species it is bluish, of others a light or grayish green, 

 and of still others a very dark green. Of some the foliage is dense, 

 but of many species it is open, affording but little shade. The foliage 

 and young twigs of all species possess a more or less pronounced odor, 

 due to the presence of oil-dots. To the majority' of people the odor 

 of most species is agreeable — in some cases quite fragrant. 



Of many species the leaves of the 3"oung seedlings are of a different 

 shape from those of the adult tree. As a rule, the leaves of the seed- 

 ling tree are broader, shorter, and shorter-stemmed than those of the 

 older ones. As the tree grows older, the newly formed leaves are com- 

 monly successively longer and narrower, until the adult form is reached. 

 This change usualh' occurs during the first year or two of the tree's 

 growth. The leaves of some species are opposite on the stem of the 

 young seedlings, becoming scattered as the change to the adult leaf- 

 form occurs. Only a few species have permanently opposite leaves. 

 These marked characteristics in seedling leaves furnish one means of 

 identifying species. A grower or purchaser of young Eucalypts, if 

 he knows what the nature of the leaves should be, can distinguish the 

 species very earh' in their development. It is for the purpose of 

 furnishing assistance on this point that the illustrations of seedlings 

 are given in this publication. (See Pis. LXXXI to LXXXIX.) 



The mature leaves of most species are comparative!}' long and slen- 

 der, the prevailing shape being that of a lance, or somewhat curved 

 like a sickle. The}' vary considerably as to texture, those of some 

 species being thin and papery, while those of the majority are more 

 or less thick and leathery. Instead of spreading horizontally and 

 being darker colored above than below, as is the case with most flat- 

 leafed trees, the leaves of the majority of species present one edge to 

 the sky, the two surfaces consequently having the same or nearly the 

 same appearance. Those species with leaves spreading horizontally 

 naturally furnish more shade than those whose leaves hang with one 

 edge skyward. 



THE BLOOM. 



The Eucalypts bear flowers that are more or less conspicuous. The 

 flowers of different species differ suflSciently to render very material 

 help in deciding upon the correct name of a tree. The greatest 

 differences are in the flower buds, which, just before they open, are 

 much more useful in determining the species to which a tree belongs 

 than the open flowers. ]Most species bloom freol}' and many bloom 

 ver}' profusely. The trees of most species produce flowers early in 

 their development, blossoms sometimes appearing on 2 or 3 year old 



