EUCALYPTUS ODORATA. 



Behr, in Schlechtendal's Linnsea xs. 657 (1847) ; Miquel, in Nederlandisk Kruidkundig Archief ir. 129 (1859) ; 

 F. T. M., fragmenta phytographise Australia? ii. 66; Bentham, flora Australii-nsis iii. 215 ; . cajuputea et 

 E. porosa, Miquel, as above quoted, pp. 126 and 132. 



Leaves scattered, narrow-lanceolar, rarely broad, often on comparatively short stalks, not 

 much elongated, rather dull-green or somewhat shining, of equal color on both sides ; their veins 

 mostly spreading at a very acute angle and not crowded, the two longitudinal veins somewhat 

 removed from the edge ; umbels either axillary and solitary or forming short panicles, on short 

 or not much elongated and hardly angular stalks, with 3-9 flowers ; calyces rather small, 

 gradually attenuated into short stalklets or the latter occasionally suppressed or seldom conspi- 

 cuously elongated ; lid from broad-conical to pointed-hemispherical, somewhat shorter than the 

 tube ; stamens all fertile, inflexed before expansion ; anthers minute, roundish, opening by pore-like 

 slits ; stigma slightly dilated ; fruit obcouic- or bellshaped-semiovate, smooth or faintly marked 

 by angular lines, with compressed vertical margin, 3-5-celled ; valves short, quite enclosed, 

 converging flatly before expansion ; placental axis at least twice as long as broad ; seeds very 

 small, without any appendage, the sterile seeds not very narrow. 



On limestone ridges along and towards Spencer's Gulf and St. Vincent's Gulf, thence to the 

 Flinders-Ranges (Behr, F. M.), ascending on Mount Brown to 2,000 feet elevation (J. E. Brown). 



The precise eastern and also western natural limits of E. odorata have never yet been 

 ascertained, but the species possibly may reach the western boundaries of the colony of Victoria, 

 although it does certainly not extend to Port Phillip. 



A middle-sized or rather small tree, with greyish rough hard persistent bark, hence called 

 like many other Eucalypts of such a feature " Box-tree," notwithstanding of their wood bearing 

 not the slightest resemblance to the real tree, from which the Turkish Boxwood for xylography is 

 derived. E. odorata passes also as one of the " Peppermint-trees." The timber is of fair quality, 

 although seldom of the very large dimensions, to which we are accustomed among Eucalyptus- 

 woods ; it is very tough and used in a manner like that of E. melliodora ; it shows long resistance 

 to decay, when placed underground according to J. E. Brown, but who notes the stems of matured 

 trees frequently hollow. The oil-dots of the leaves are as a rule only partially apparent, or 

 even quite concealed, yet the cajuput-like scent, which suggested the specific name, is strongly 

 enough developed. The anthers of some of the outer stamens are sometimes enlarged and 

 deformed. 



In comparison to allied species E. odorata shows much affinity to E. melliodora ; the habit 

 of the two trees is much the same, but the former seems restricted to a calcareous soil ; the foliage 

 is often less opaque and rather of thicker consistence, the outer stamens are not extensively sterile, 

 the anthers are not so remarkably truncate, the stigma is less broad and the fruits are not 

 distinctly contracted towards the summit. The differences, by which E. odorata can readily be 

 distinguished from E. polyanthema, E. populifolia, E. Behriana and E. pallens, will be pointed 

 out respectively in the descriptive text of these species. Nearest perhaps it approaches to 

 E. largiflorens, which is best distinguished by its usually narrower leaves of thinner consistence 

 with finer and rather more spreading veins, by the more extensively paniculated flowers of smaller 

 size, by the shorter lid often of less width than the tube of the calyx, by the latter more suddenly 

 meeting the stalklet, by smaller more globular and less truncated anthers and by fruits of less 

 size with more contracted orifice and valves close to the summit. 



