EUCALYPTUS RAVERETIANA. 



F. v. M., fragmenta phytographia) Australia x. 99 (1877). 



Very tall ; branchlets thin, angular ; leaves scattered, of thin consistence, oval- or oftener 

 elongate-lanceolar, almost equal-sided or but slightly sickleshaped, opaque, copiously dotted by 

 pellucid oil-glands, paler beneath ; veins very fine, slightly distant, the marginal vein very near 

 to the edge ; flowers exceedingly small, few or several in each umbel, paniculated ; calyces on very 

 short stalklets, the acutely conical lid twice or thrice as long as the hemispheric calyx-tube; stamens 

 all fertile ; anthers renate-cordate, opening by longitudinal slits ; style comparatively long ; stigma 

 slightly dilatated ; fruits extremely small, 3- or rarely 4-celled, their valves half exserted, forming 

 an almost hemispheric summit of the fruit ; placental axis about twice as long as broad ; seeds 

 without any membranous appendage. 



In wet forest-valleys and along shady streams, also on the immediate margins of rivers and 

 swamps of East Australia, particularly in the capricornic regions ; thus near Rockhampton 

 (Thozet and O'Shanesy) ; at the Dawson- and Nercool-River (Bowman) ; near Port Denison 

 (Fitzalan). 



This well-marked and stately species received its specific name in honor of Dr. M. C. Raveret- 

 Wattel, of Paris, who as principal secretary of the great French Acclimation-Society identified 

 himself also much with the extensive culture of our Eucalypts in the countries around the 

 Mediterranean Sea, much induces by Mons. Prosp. Ramel and myself, and who published an 

 important essay on this subject : 1'Eucalyptus, son introduction, sa culture, ses propri6t6s et 

 usages. 



A tree, attaining a gigantic size, even up to 300 feet at full age. Vernacularly it passes in 

 the districts of its growth as " Grey Gum-tree" and " Iron Gum-tree." Bark shedding its outer 

 layers, at least of the upper branches, by which process they are rendered smooth and grey, but 

 often persistent on the stem, the latter, according to a meritorious observer of Queensland plants, 

 the late Mons. Thozet, finally fully 10 feet in diameter. Foliage periodically almost completely 

 dropping ; leaves usually between 3 and 5 inches long, f-l inch broad, interspersed with some 

 of smaller size, not veiy narrowly acuminated ; the principal lateral veins spreading in a mode- 

 rately acute angle. Panicles axillary and terminal, varying usually in length between 1 and 3 

 inches. Flower-stalklets 1-3 lines long. Filaments almost white. Lid membranous ; though 

 so considerably exceeding the tube of the calyx in length, yet measuring only about |th of an 

 inch ; neither the stamens longer. Fruit-calyx little broader than one line ; its surrounding 

 margin very thin. Sterile seeds narrower, but hardly shorter, than the fertile seeds. 



The nearest affinity of this species is to E. microtheca, but the leaves are not of equal green 

 on both sides, also mostly broader, with more concealed veins ; the calyces are still smaller, and 

 there is a greater disparity between the length of their lid and tube ; the anthers are more kidney- 

 shaped than globular, while the fruits are smaller than those of any other species, excepting 

 the rare North- West Australian E. brachyandra (F. v. M., in Journ of Proceed, of the Linn. Soc. 

 iii. 97) which however in other respects is very different. 



From cuts into the stem an acidulous almost colorless liquid issues in considerable quantity, 

 according to Messrs. Bowman and O'Shanesy, in which respect this species resembles E. Gunni. 

 The foliage is rich in volatile oil. The wood is durable, dark-colored, very hard and valuable for 

 underground-piles and railway-sleepers, irrespective of many other purposes ; it will resist the 

 heaviest blow (Bowman and Thozet). This species flowers already when only about 10 feet high. 



