284 



referred to as the Red-flowering Mallee,' but Mr. Browne 

 explains that it is not a mallee proper, as it rises with one 

 st-eni only, like any ordinary tree." . . . ''Imperfect 

 specimens of this species were collected in 1847 near Encoun- 

 ter Bay by C. Stuart, others in 1851 near Port Lincoln by 

 C. Wilhelmi." Luehmann says, "E. hanHcloivntana. I have 

 seen neither a specimen nor description, and Tate, who has 

 seen the plant, says it is not a tenable species" (Proc. 

 A.A.A.S., Sydney, 1898, p. 535). There is a fragment in 

 the herbarium of the University of Adelaide. The plant, 

 like the rest of the 'Pink" or "Red Mallee" of Port Lin- 

 coln, is referable to E. odorata, of which it is a variety, 

 though not a strong one. The name var. qnirpurasrens may 

 be proposed for it, but it must be borne in mind that the 

 pink or purple colouration of the filaments is not constant. 

 The type specimen of E. Lain^downeana from the Gawler 

 Range is of a deeper purple than I have seen it anywhere 

 else. 



Sometimes E. odorafa is coarse and broad-leaved; this 

 form is a good deal like E. Behrinna, but the timber is 

 brown, not red, as in E. Behriana. This form is common 

 near the seacoast. Then at Hog Bay (Kangaroo Island) we 

 have a 'Peppermint" which is referable to E. odorafa, 

 though not typical. It is a small tree, and the timber is 

 esteemed for fencing. It has a black-looking bark like odor- 

 nta, very scaly, ribbony, rough branches : timber pale- 

 brown : oil dots of leaves prominent. 



AVe now turn to a very small-fruited form of E. 

 odor nta, at 10-11 miles (Port Lincoln to Lake Wan- 

 gary), and also vicinity of Tumby Bay. It is a 

 small-fruited, narrow-leaved Mallee, with pale-brown tim- 

 ber and a ribbony, rough butt. Only green fruits and very 

 young buds were collected, but the smallness of the fruits 

 is an additional instance of the variability of the species. I 

 have dealt with E . odorata at some length, because South 

 Australia is the principal home of the species, and it is so 

 puzzling that I made special arrangements to study it. 



13. E . oleosa, F. v. M., was collected at Murray Bridge, 

 Cape Jervis, and Port Lincoln. At Murray Bridge it was 

 in full flower ; flowers large, white to yellow, young tips of 

 branches red, often the bark red, hence the name "Red 

 Mallee." Glaucous buds, pointed operculum, broad, glau- 

 cous suckers. At Cape Jervis it was a small tree of 15 ft. 

 It is far less abundant than E . uncinata in the district ; it 

 it apparently rarely gregarious. Operculum blunt, buds 

 almost ovoid. At Kirton Point it was in full flower, and a 



