105 



DESCRIPTION. 



CCXLIV. E. ptychoearpa F.v.M. 



Tu -Journ. Linn. Soc. iii, 90, (1859). 



Following is a translation of the original : — 



A tree, with angular branchlets, leaves large, thick, alternate, obliquely lanceolate, drawn out to 

 a point, moderately petiolate, rather shining on the upper side, paler beneath, penniveined, marginate, 

 imperforate, peripheral vein close to the margin, umbels t-erminal, paniculate, few to seven-flowered, partial 

 peduncles two or three times longer than the angled pedicels, calyx markedly 8-ribbed, operculum 

 hemispherical, two or three times shorter than the tube. Capsules large, ovate-campanulate, deeply 

 8-ribbed, 4-celled, valves deeply included, fertile seeds with long wings on the upper side. 



On woody creeks and on drying watercourses, near the sources of the Rivers Wentworth, Wickham, 

 and Limmen Bight. Flowering in March and April. 



A medium-sized or large tree with a dirty, grej-ish, wrinkled bark, somewhat fibrous within and 

 everywhere persistent. Leaves 5-7 inches long, li— 2 inches broad. Capsule 1-lJ inches long, contracted 

 a little at the orifice, valves short. Seeds 2 lines long — that is, the fertile ones — bearing a membranous 

 obovate wing 3-lines long, the numerous sterile ones smaller, and with narrow wings. 



The tnmk in the structure of the bark holds an intermediate place between the Stringybarks and 

 Boxes. 



Beutham (B. Fl. iii, 255) described it as follows : — 



A middle-sized or tall tree, ^ith a persistent bark, intermediate between that of the Stringybarks and 

 the Box trees (F. Mueller). Leaves large, from broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, sometimes above a foot 

 long, straight or falcate, with numerous fijie, closely parallel, almost transverse veins. Flowers large, in xmibels 

 forming a terminal panicle, peduncles terete, ^ to 2 inches long, pedicels sometimes very short, sometimes 

 1 to 2 inches long. Calyx-tube turbinate, I to | inch long, hard, with about 8 longitudinal ribs. Operculum 

 not seen. Stame^is above -J- inch long ; filaments rigid, inflected in the bud ; anthers small, ovate, with 

 distinct parallel cells. Fruits ovoid or slightly urceolate, very thick and hard, 1 to 2 inches long, with about 

 8 prominent ribs, the rim thick, the capsule sunk. Seeds winged. 



-. It is also figured in " Eucalyptographia. " 



For note.s on the bark, see p. 107. 



Colour of filaments. — Leiclihardt has a note (Paris Herbarium) on a Port Essiugton 

 specimen, " Scarlet blossoms," but he may have written the \ATong coloirr in his imperfect 

 English. 



Mr. B. C4ulLiver, who saw the tree during Captain Cadell's voyage to Arnhem's 

 Land, states the flowers (filaments) to be "scarlet" (" Eucalyptographia.") Mueller 

 is, however, in some doubt, for he goes on to say, " If really they persist in the bright 

 colour of E. miniata and E. phcenicea,'' &c. (I have shown under E. fici folia that Mueller 

 confused scarlet and crimson.) 



