112 



DESCRIPTION 



E. Risdoni, Hook., f. 



The following description has been based upon Beutham (B.Fl. iii, 203) though 



differing from it : — 



A glaucous foliaged and beautiful tree of 20-30 feet, the variety elata attaining a height of 50 feet 

 and more. The bark smooth (hence known as a " Gum "), ashy grey, scaling in irregular pitches, the 

 branches more or less pendulous. The timber pale-coloured and rather fissile, but too small and inferior 

 in quality to be of economic importance. 



Juvenile Foliage. — Markedly cordate and connate. 



Mature Foliage. — The juvenile foliage frequently persists and sometimes all, even on the flowering 

 branches, remains opposite, ovate-cordate and more or less connate,' (n- sometimes those of the latter shoots 

 alterna.te, broadly lanceolate and falcate, rather thick with oblique veins, moderately conspicuous, the 

 intramarginal one at a distance from the edge. In the variety elato the cordate and connate foliage is 

 absent or rare, except in the juvenile stage. 



Buds. — Obovoid-clavate. Peduncles axillary or lateral, terete or angular, bearing each an umbel 

 of 4 to 8 or even more. Calyx-tube very open, attaining 3 lines diameter. Operculum hemispherical, 

 obtuse, shorter than the calyx-tube. 



Flowers. — Larger than those of E. athygdalina. Stamens nearly 3 lines long, inflected in the bud, 

 all perfect ; anthers with divergent confluent cells {i.e. Renantherous). Ovary flat-topped. 



Fruit. — Subglobose-truncate, attaining 4 lines diameter, slightly contracted at the orifice, the rim 

 rather sharp, sloping inwards (sunk), the valves flat or slightly protruding. 



Habitat. — In its typical form it is confined to the Hobart district, but the variety data has a 

 wider range, though confined to Tasmania. 



EoUowing is the original description : — 



Foliis oppositis ovato-cordatis acuminatis sessilibus v. basi lata connatis junioribus ramulis 

 alabastrisque pulvereo-glaucescentibus, pedicellis axillaribus 6-10-floris, alabastris breviter clavatis, opeiculo 

 depresso hemispherico umbone nullo, capsula breviter pedicellata obconica rotundata, ore paulo contracto 

 margine piano latiusculo valvis inclusis. 



Hab. Risdon, on the Derwent ; Gunn. v. v.n. Arbor 20-pedalis, e basi ramosus, a.spectu 

 glauscescente, ramis patentibus divaricatis, ramulis gracilibus, cortice Isevi. Folia 1 1-2 uncialia, rigida, 

 acuminata, latiora quam longa, obtusa cum mucrone. Pedunculi i-f unciales. Alabastra \-\ unc. long. 

 Capsulse \ unc. longa, extus Iseves v. paulo I'ugosse nitidse. — (Hooker's Lond. Journ. Bot. vi, 477 (1847); 

 Fl. Tas. i, 133 t. 24.) 



Leaves. — OiL — Messrs. Schimmel & Co., of Leipsic, report : — 



Under the name of Eucalyptus Risdoni a pleasant and mild-smelling eucalyptus oil was introduced 

 in 1874 in London. Sp. gr. 0-915-0-916;''D = - 4° 49'. It contained cineol and phellandrene.* 



• Bericht, von S. & Co., .\pr. 1894, p. -29. 



