EUCALYPTUS K&MASTOMA. 



Smith, in the Transactions of the Linnean Society iii. 285 (1797); Candolle, prodromus systematis naturalis regni 

 vegetabilis iii. 219 ; F. M., fragmenta phytographiae Australia) ii. 51 ; Bentham, flora Australiensis iii. 212; 

 E. micrantha, Candolle, prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis iii. 217 ; memoire sur la famille des 

 Myrtacees planche 5; E. signata, F. M., in the Journal of Proceedings of the Linnean Society iii. 85. 



Finally tall ; leaves scattered, sickleshaped-lanceolar, occasionally much narrower or excep- 

 tionally also verging to a somewhat oval form, shining and of equal green on Loth sides ; their 

 lateral veins more longitudinal than transverse, the intramargiual vein somewhat removed from 

 the edge ; umbels mostly solitary, axillary or lateral or some paniculate, on angular and often 

 somewhat compressed stalks, witli from 5 to 10 or rarely more flowers on each ; tube of calyx 

 broadly obconical, about twice as long as the hemispheric depressed or slightly pointed small 

 lid, not angular, attenuated into a stalklet of the same or somewhat greater length ; stamens 

 short, inflected before expansion ; outer filaments sterile ; anthers of the fertile stamens cordate- 

 kidneyshaped ; style very short; stigma not dilated; fruit semiovate, 4- or less frequently 

 5-celled ; its rim depressed or quite Jlat ; valves very short, deltoid, convergent, usually affixed 

 very close to the summit of the fruit ; placental axis about twice as long as broad ; seeds 

 without any appendage, the sterile seeds rather short and often comparatively broad. 



Known from Illawarra (Cunningham) to the vicinity of Wide Bay (Moore), ascending into 

 the elevated country of New England. 



Bark frequently quite smooth or less usually persistent on the stem, but the branches then 

 to a great extent smooth, the tree thus fluctuating between Leiophloiaj and Hcmiphloiai. The 

 variety micrantha with smaller flowers and fruits passes as White Gum-tree, Spotted Gum-tree or 

 even Blue Gum-tree ; the ordinary form in its semipersistent state of bark as Blackbutt-tree and 

 indeed under several other and misleading colonial vernaculars. 



The rim of the fruit is brownish-red, from which note the species derives its systematic name. 



E. hamiastorna approaches in affinity very closely E. Sieberiaua ; but its bark is not so deeply 

 furrowed in its persistent portion on the stem ; it is further distinguished by somewhat broader 

 leaves with more spreading and more prominent veins, by the usually greater number of sterile 

 stamens and by the frequently shorter fruit, which thus verges more into an hemispheric form. 

 Both E. hamastoma and E. Sieberiuna belong to the series of Heterostemoues, notwithstanding 

 Mr. Bentham placing the latter into that of the Ilcuantheras. 



Although the leaves of full-grown trees are like those of E. piperita, yet the seedlings are 

 quite different, being perfectly smooth with their leaves opposite short-stalked and lauceolar, not 

 rough broad and scattered as in E. piperita ; it differs also from that species in the often smooth 

 bark, shorter calyx-lid, sterile stamens and the more truncate fruit with less contracted and 

 broader rim. 



E. hzernastoma occurs however also occasionally with bark persisting up to the last branches, 

 according to Mr. Wilkinson, and would then come under the category of the Striugybarks ; in 

 such a state for instance it is known from the Dromedary-Range up to 1,500 feet above sea-level, 

 in the silurian formation. Mr. C. Walter also notes what appears to be this species as a 

 Stringybark-tree towards the Upper Yarra, though the operculum of the flowerbuds is more 

 conical. 



The wood is not of any great value for timber-purposes and is apt soon to decay, but furnishes 

 a fair sort of fuel and material for rough carpentry. 



