191 



DESCRIPTION. 



CLII. E. propinqua Deane and Maiden. 



In Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. xx, 541 (1895), with Plate xliii. 



A large, straight growing, cylindrical-stemmed tree, found up to 4 or 5 feet in diameter, and 120 feet and 

 more in height. 



Hark. — It has a grey dusty-looking slightly raspy appearance as regards its bark. Next to the 

 Blue or Flooded Gum it is one of the straightcst stemmed trees in the forest. The bark darkens, peels off 

 in large longitudinal irregular patches, leaving a smooth white surface, which in course of time darkens, 

 peels off, and the process is indefinitely repeated. The bark closely resembles, and is perhaps not to be 

 distinguished from, that of E. punctata. 



Timber. — Dark coloured, and so closely resembling Red Ironbark (E. siderophloia) that care is 

 required to distinguish the two timbers. Inclined to have rings or " scabs " of kino, which diminishes the 

 demand for it for sawn stuff. Very durable in or out of the ground, but its tensile strength inferior to that 

 of the Ironbark already referred to. 



Seedling leaves. — More broadly lanceolate, and with the marginal vein more distant from the 

 edge, than in the case of the mature leaves. At first opposite. 



Mature leaves. — Narrow lanceolate and very uniform. Average length 4-5 inches, breadth f inch. 

 Veins not prominent, lateral veins nearly parallel ; marginal vein on or very close to the edge of the leaf 

 as a very general rule. Edge usually slightly recurved. 



Peduncles flattened. 



Calyx-tube hemispherical, and longer than the operculum. Sometimes with the angles of the 

 flattened pedicel decurrent. 



Flowers in a marked manner pedicellate ; usually in tens, but the umbels containing as few as 

 five flowers. 



Operculum hemispherical in general outline, but with a low pointed apes. 



Stamens inflexcd before expansion, the anthers opening by parallel slits, and all fertile. 



Fruit very uniform in size, about 2i lines broad by 11 lines deep. Usually 4-celled. Occasionally 

 3-cellcd ; 5-celled not seen at present. The rim usually shows two sharp edges, with the intervening space 

 concave. The valves are well exserted. 



RANGE. 



This species is confined to eastern New South Wales and Queensland, usually 

 at no great elevation above the sea. In the former State it is not known further south 

 than the Hawkesbury River. It occurs in both States not far from the coast, in New 

 South Wales ascending the slopes of the escarpment of the tableland. In Queensland 

 its range has been less carefully worked out ; we do not know how far it extends along 

 the North Coast Railway. 



