98 



2. E. diimosa, A. Cunn. 



Following is an extract from Allan Cunningham's Journal, under date 23rd 

 May, 1817 :— 



Encalyjdus dumosa. — Leaves alternate, ovate lanceolate, fruit rough. This jilant forms the 

 I)rincij)iil sluub in a tract of confined bushy scrub. 



A little later, Oxley made the entry :— • 



June lOtli, 1817. — Mr. Cunningham named those thick brushes of Eucalyptus that spread in every 

 direction around us Eucalyptus dumosa, or the dwarf gum, as they never exceed 20 feet in height, and are 

 generally from 12 to 15, spreading out into a bu.shy circle from their roots in such a manner that it is 

 impossible to see farther than from one bush to another, and these are very often united by a species of 

 vine (Cassytha), and tlie intermediate space covered with pi'ickly wire-grass, rendering a passage thi'ough 

 them ecjually painful and tedious. {Jottrnuls of two Expeditious, Oxley, 1820, p. 63.) 



About this time, say between 23rd May and 10th Jvtne, Allan Cunningham 

 was mainly between 33° and 34° S. lat. and 146° and 147° E. long., i.e., in the 

 Wyalong-Booligal country. 



In 1828 A. De Candolle described {Prod iii, 220) E. cneonfolia, but 

 unfortunately there are two species in the Prodromus Herbarium under this name. 

 I am obliged to M. Casimir I)e Candolle for permission to examine the specimens. 

 The following, which is figured at plate 16, is E. incrassata, var. dumosa. 



Its original label reads — 



Eucalyptus viiiiinalis, Nouvelle Ilollande, Cote Orientale, Musee de Paris, 1821. 



An additional lal)el bears the words — • 



Si. E. cneorifulia, PC, altera species. (2) Species foliis o1)longo-lanceolatis. 



I think the following is the first formal description of E. dumosa, 

 A. Cunn. : — 



Fruticosa : ramulis rigidulis teretib. ; foil, coriaceis firmis oblongis lanceolatisve, basi subobliqua in 

 petiolum attenuatis, breviter acuminatis, utrinq. lasvib. pallide virentib. subopacis imperforatis ; umbellis 

 axillarib. 3-5 floris ; pedunculo tereti v. subangulato petiolum fequante ; pedicellis angulatis cupula 

 breviorib. ; operculo coriaceo subdepresso-hemisphserico apiculato radiatim costato cupula cyathiformi vix 

 costata nonnihil latiore vix longiore et cum ea nitido. Foliorum lamina 2-3 uncias longit., 0-9 lin. latit., 

 petiolus 8 lin. long, metientes ; alabastra adulta cum pedicello 5 lin. longa, operculo 2 lin. alto. In fructicetis 

 Novif Cainbrife austi-alis interioris. A. Cunn., Herb., No. 206, 1817. Schauer in Walp. Hep. ii, 925. 



Var. piincticiilata, Benth. 



Lea\-es copiously black-dotted, flowers small. \V. Australia, from Gordon Ki\er, Oldjield, to Mount 

 Barren llanges. Maxwell. (R.Fl. iii, 230.) 



Var. (?) rhodoiMoia, Benth. 



Bark salmon-coloured, leaves black-dotted, flowers rather small, the operculum conical or almost 

 acuminate. Capsule on a level \\\t\\ the rim of the fruit. Possibly a distinct species. W. Australia, Phillips 

 Bluffs, near Eyre's Relief, Maxwell. (B.Fl. iii, 230.) 



Both the above were described by Bentham as forms of E. dumosa. I have 

 not seen them to my recollection. At Plate 21 I submit drawings indicating 

 essential parts of these so-called varieties. It is not an uncommon circumstance for 

 the leaves of E. inc?'as.safa to be black-dotted. See additional observations at p. 122. 



