9 



2. Var. nova any Ilea, var. nov. 



(a) Flowers in more than threes. 



(o) Mature leaves always lanceolate, i.e., it never flowers in the broad- 

 leaved sta«e. 



(c) The peduncles usually not in pairs in the axils as in the normal form 

 and var. mnltijlora. 



SYNONYM. 



E. nova-anglica Deane and Maiden in Broc. Linn. Soc. N.S.TF. xxiv, 610 

 (1899). (With a plate) described as follows : — 



It is gregarious and occupies considerable areas, often to the exclusion of 

 other arboreal vegetation (J. F. Campbell). 



Bark.— Dark straight bark (hence the local name "Black Peppermint"), 

 thinner than that of B. Stuartiana ("'"White Peppermint" or "Apple"). Semi- 

 persistent on the trunk, more or less ribbony on the boughs and deciduous on the 

 ultimate branchlets. 



Timber. — Of a pinkish or pale red colour when fresh, drying to a pale colour. 

 It is of a soft nature, liable to rapid decay on reaching maturity. Of no commercial 

 value, but used for fencing in the absence of more durable timber. 



Sucker Lcaces. — Intensely glaucous, often 3 inches long and 2^ inches broad. 

 Orbicular to cordate, often stem-clasping. Twigs inclining to quadrangular in very 

 early stage. 



Mature Leaves.— Lanceolate, and, when fully mature, 3 to 4 inches long, and 

 half an inch wide on the average. Veins strongly marked, pinnate and anastomosing, 

 the intramarginal vein at some distance from the edge, the midrib and the intra- 

 marginal veins often pink, as are sometimes the other veins, while the leaf itself is 

 often suffused with a tinge of the same colour. On the same twig it is a common 

 occurrence to obtain the ordinary mature glabrous foliage interspersed with 

 abundance of glaucous foliage of similar shape and of various stages towards the 

 normal sucker foliage. The foliage has a strong peppermint odour. The twigs are 

 round. 



Buds.— From two or three to six in an umbel, but clusters of four or five are 

 commonest. On a flattened stalk of about a quarter of an inch, the stalklets less 

 flattened and less than half the length of the stalks. The buds glaucous and often 

 pink or purplish, ovoid, the top of the operculum somewhat pointed. The operculum 

 usually about the same size as the calyx-tube. 



