282 



Following is a connecting link with var. strida : — 



A small tree from Middle Harbour, Sydney, about 9 feet high, with a white-grey 

 s nooth bark, the old bark leaving the tree in long, dark-coloured shreds. Buds clavate, 

 and with double operculum. Fruits about f inch long, of the shape of those of var. 

 strida, but with a thicker rim, and less sunk, 4-celled. The leaves linear-lanceolate, 

 5 inches by ,v inch. 



Var. obtusiflora is so similar to var. strida that some botanists habitually label 

 it E. strida, looking upon it as the coastal form of that species (or variety). 



2. Var. strida (Sieber's No. 472, Fl. Nov. HolL). 



Occurs in the Blue Mountains, and the Braidwood and Moruya districts and 

 intermediate localities. It cannot be stated that the true E. strida is found in the 

 Port Jackson district, as recorded by Bentham. 



Very abundant on the Blue Mountain Range; it seems superfluous to give a 

 list of localities. Mr. Cambage and I gave the following note on walking over the Blue 

 Mountains:— 



" Our first specimen was observed just past Faulconbridge Station, and was 

 9 inches in diameter, with a height of 20 feet. It is worthy of remark that the young 

 leaves contain caoutchouc. In favourable localities this species, usually a shrubby 

 plant, grows taller, with fewer flowers and coarser foliage. The coarseness of the species 

 appears to be a matter of good soil and shelter." — [Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 1905, 

 p. 196.) 



Following is an aberrant specimen: — " Mountain Ash," Molong (W. S. Campbell). 

 The fruits are more hemispherical and smaller than those of var. strida usually are, 

 but it seems to be an extreme form of that species. Molong is the most westerly locality 

 yet recorded for it. Its fruits are not very dissimilar to those of the Pigeon House 

 Mountain specimens (var. triflora), while its leaves are broad, like those of some of the 

 aberrant forms from the south. Specimens such as these show a, tendency towards 

 E. Sieberiana. 



All the above are western localities. Going south we have Sugar Loaf Mountain, 

 Braidwood (W. Baeuerlen); top of Table Mountain, west of Milton, 4-7 feet high 

 (R. H. Cambage); top of mountain (1,700 feet) near West Dapto (R. H. Cambage). 



; Let us now deal with the arboreal form of var. strida (we cannot call it a variety). 



See the Faulconbridge specimen already alluded to. Common in good soil and 

 sheltered situations in the Blue Mountains generally. 



Going south, we have " Trees up to 40 feet high. Scaly bark at base, whitish 

 and smooth on upper part of trunk. Suckers up to 2 inches broad."* West Albion 



* See note at foot of page 273. All the varieties tend to vary as regards the width of the juvenile foliage, but the 

 general character of var. alricta is narrowness. 



