40 



XLV. E. fruticetorum, F.v.M. 



The original description (in Latin) of tliis species is quoted by Miquel, and will be 

 found in Part III, p. 80, of this work. 



Later, in Fragni., ii, 57, Mueller re-described the species with some synonymy 

 (erroneous as regards E. snnlalif'tHa), and I offer a transh^tioii <>f it here. 



Eucalyptus fruticetorum (F.M. in Miq. Slirp. New Holl., 35; E. santalifolin, F.v.M., I.e., .37, and in 

 Transact. Vict. Instil., i, 35. Sect. Heraiphloife.) 



Shrubby, growing to a tree ; leaves alternate, moderately petiolate, narrow- or falcate- or oblong- 

 lanceolate, papery or leathery, first finely then prominently spreading, penniveined, .shining, the .same 

 colour on both sides, the peripheral veins close to the margin ; umbels axillary and lateral, solitary or 

 subpaniculate ; peduncle almost terete or compressed, about as long as the flowers ; the calyx tube truncate- 

 or obconical-ovate, little or not anjjular, without or with short pedicels, depressed or pyramidally 

 hemispherical, not striate, and scarcely exceeding three times the length of the oiierculum ; anthers 

 subovate ; stqle short ; fruit truncate- or cylindrical-ovate, with three to four cells, rim thin, valves short, 

 entirely enclosed ; seeds without winj;s. 



In sandy-clayey or stony plains in the desert from the R. Murray to the R. Murchison,* forming a 

 considerable portion of the scrub. 



A shrub varying in height, growing to the size of a small tree. The bark of the branches and of 

 the younger stems smooth, but that of the old trunk rugose, semitibrous, ashy-grey, adhering for a long 

 time. Young branches slender, more often smooth than angular. Leaves 2-4"' long, 4-8"' broad, rarely 

 larger, tapering into a point, often uncinate, more or less pellucidly dotted, but thickly coriaceous and 

 imperforate with age. Peduncles ^ inch long or shorter, rarely longer. Pedicels often 1"' long, sometimes 

 invisible. Calyx tube 2-3'" long. Operculum about 1'" high, U-2'" broad, coriaceous. Filaments somewhat 

 thick, of a whitish colour, drying yellowish, the outer ones reaching a length of 2-3'". Anthers of a pale 

 colour 1- V" long, varying from ovate to globose, quadrate and cuneate, more or less bent, dehiscent for 

 the whole length on both sides. Style somewhat thick, filiform, scarcely exceeding 1 '". Fruit 2i-4'" long^ 

 the orifice slightly contracted. Sterile seeds almost rhomboid, clavate or deltoid, \-t" long, brownish oi 

 deep yellow ; the fertile ones dorsolly convex, dirty brown, at length turning black, about f" long. — 

 (Fragm., ii, 57.) 



Mueller then proceeds to indicate its affinity to JE. amygdalina, Schauer, 

 {E. foecunda, Schauer), and E. gracilis, F.v.M. 



He then states that it is allied to the species known to the W.A. aborigines 

 as " Yandee." I print what he said, as it will be useful for reference, but the tentative 

 inclusion of the Yandee of Western Australia {E. foecunda) has caused some 

 confusion. 



The species seems to have affinity between E. amygdalina and E. gracilis. The aborigines make 

 spears from the younger stems. E. amygdalina, Schauer, in Lehm. PI. Preiss., i, 130, appears applicable 

 to this species ; Labillardifere's species does not appear among the numerous Eucalypts of W.A. preserved 

 in our collection. 



It is allied to the species known by the aborigines of W.A. as " Yandee," unless a variety, forming 

 a taller tree, is evolved during a long period of time. This specially differs from it in that the marginal 

 vein of the leaf is situated further from the edge, and the lateral veins are less spreading. The bark, 

 moreover, according to the careful enquiries of Oldfield, is blackish, and tardily falls off in bundles (sic). 

 This tree has a straight trunk, and belongs better to the Pachyphloia; section than to the Hemiphloiae. 

 In what way this tree, which is known to West Australians as "York Gum," is distinguished from. E. 

 fruticetorum is not clear from the specimens sent by Oldfield. 



* This W.A. locality was founded on a misapprehension, and refers to the species foecunda confused with it. 



