203 



AFFINITIES. 



1. With E. resinifera Sin. 



" The loaves of E. resinifera have ' numerous fine, close parallel and almost transverse veins, 

 sometimes scarcely scarcely conspicuous, the intramarginal one close to the edge.' This species has more 

 the venation of E. tereticornis Sm. The transverse veins are oblique and pronrnent, and the intra- 

 marginal one removed from the edge, particularly so in the young leaves. The venation therefore shows 

 no connection with E. resinifera Sm. 



. . . . The only connection apparently with E. resinifera is in the bark. The timber does 

 not appear to have the reputation for quality similar to that of E. resinifera." (R. T. Baker.) 



See my remarks which follows under E. robusta Sm. 



2. With E. robusta Sm. 



It seems to me that the position of E. Kirtoniana is between E. robusta Sm. 

 and E. resinifera Sm. Indeed I have suggested* that E. Kirtoniana may be a hybrid 

 between E. robusta and E. resinifera. 



Commenting on this, Mr. W. R. Petrie, of Fraser Island, Queensland, says— 



" I am interested in your suggestion that E. Kirtoniana F.v.M. may be a hybrid between E. robusta 

 and E. resinifera. Here the tree does not resemble E. resinifera in the field, nor does it affect the same class 

 of country. No resinifera trees are to be found here within miles of it. I have recently found trees which 

 have clean "gum " bark for a considerable distance on the branches. The bark varies greatly, some being, 

 as I said before, like Bloodwood (E. corymbosa), some just the same as E. robusta, and some like the roudi 

 lower portion of E. tereticornis. I have found none, however, resembling E. resinifera in the bark. 



The foliage is, in all cases, in my opinion exceedingly like E. tereticornis and the buds are also. 



In regard to Mr. Petrie's comment, he points out that the bark of E. Kirtoniana 

 varies considerably, and I have not said that it is like E. resinifera, in the sense of closely 

 resembling it. What I have said or implied, is that it is between E. robusta and 

 E. resinifera. The former has a soft flaky-furrowed bark, and the latter has a bark which 

 often shows characters intermediate between the Stringybarks and the Bloodwoods. 



In ascertaining the affinities of species one must endeavour to assess the 

 comparative value of all the characters taken as a whole. That is the problem that 

 lies before me in the second part of this work, as soon as I have dealt with the separate 

 discrimination of each species. 



Passing from consideration of the barks to that of the flowers and fruits, if we 

 compare Plate 123, Part XXIX (E. Kirtoniana) with Plate 124, Part XXX (E. resinifera), 

 it will be seen that the buds and fruits resemble each other. The plates of E. tereti- 

 cornis are not yet published, but at this place I may say that the buds and fruits 

 resemble those of E. Kirtoniana less closely. 



• Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. xxx, 501 (1905). 

 J) 



