259 



AFFINITIES. 



1. With E. globulus, Labill. 



The following account of the confusion between these two species, and the 



liistory of the elucidation of U. Makleni, is from the pen of Mr. William. Baeuerlen, 



the well-knoM'n botanical collector, and is taken from a letter addressed to me by 



him on 21st February, 1891. 



Ee EucaJijptufs globulus occurring as stated by Mr. DufF in the County of St. Vincent (this 

 refers to a statement in the press), I beg to state that the specie? does not occur there. The tree called 

 " Blue Gum " in that district is E. Maideni, and the nearest locality to Moruya, where it occurs, so far as I 

 know, is the Bolaro Mountain. 



The liistory connected with the .species is, as far as I can make out, about the following : — 



The tree is rather plentiful on the mountains about Araluen, and is commonly called " Blue Gum' 

 there. Some years ago the Rev. Kobert Collie visited the locality, saw the tree, and judging no doubt 

 superficially from the chalky leaves and angular twigs, took it to be E. globulus, and had it reported in 

 several j>ublications that he found E. globulus as far north as Araluen. This report has been copied and 

 reiterated by almost everyone who had anything to write on Eucalypts. To my surprise, it is even in the 

 " Eucalyptographia," and I am sure tlie Baron must have accepted Mr. Collie's report merely on trust, 

 and cannot have seen, at the time, actual specimens of the tree. 



In December, 1884, I was in the same locality when I found the tree in flower, and also saw the 

 fruit. It struck me at once that it is not E. globulus, wherefore I sent a complete set of specimens to 

 Baron von Mueller, who at the time did not diagnose it further than to say that it might be a variety of 

 E. botryoides, and there the matter rested for some time. About two years afterwards I found the species 

 again at Colombo, locally known as " Blue Gum," " White Gum,' or " Spotted Gum," from where I sent 

 fruiting specimens again to Baron von Mueller, who then said that he required flowering specimens for its 

 determination, in con.sequence of which I asked my friend, Mr. David Allan, of Colombo, to watch the 

 trees and collect flowering specimens. Unfortunately, the following season the trees hardly flowered at all 

 so that only a few flowers could 'be obtained. These, however, with more fruiting specimens, were 

 forwarded to Bai'on von Mueller. Meanwhile, under the impression that the tree is a hybrid, I paid 

 particular attention to it in order to trace out its parents, especially in the south on the Tantawanglo 

 Mountain!?, near Candelo. At that time also the Baron threw out the hint that the tree might be a 

 hybrid between E. globulus and E. goniocalyx, and stated expressly that if that would be the case, both 

 parents should be found in tho.se mountains. This at first appeared much like .solving the problem most 

 satisfactorily, but pursuing the matter further I found that though E. goniocalyx is very plentiful, 

 E. globulus is not found in those mountains, and in some re.spctts the species is widely ditt'erent from 

 E. goniocalyx to allow that species to have had anything to do with the species in question. From former 

 correspondence you know how eventually the Baron found again the flowering specimens sent to him 

 years ago and how he determined it to a new species, and named it E. Maidini. The chief point in 

 question, is, however, that it is not, E. glohuhis, and it is worthy of remark that never in one instance 

 when the Baron received specimens from mc did ho say that the species is E. globulus, which makes mo 

 believe that he received no specimens from Mr. Collie, but accepted the report merely on trust. 



If there is a .species I have expressly looked for from the Slioalhaven to the boundary of Victoria, 

 and have not found, it is E. globulus. 



The two species arc doubtless more closely allied than any other species. 



The young branchlcts in both species arc quadrangular and sometimes a little 

 winged, while the juvenile leaves are very glaucous, and reck with oil. The juvenile 

 leaves appear to be the same in both species, except that those ol; K JfaiWewi appear 

 to be the smaller. 



Both are large trees, known as " Blue Gum." 

 D 



