300 



depicted belongs to E. eugenioides. It is certainly not typical eugenioldes, but 

 rather capitellata or macrorrhyncha. See figures in Part VIII. The juvenile foliage 

 of E. piperita is always glabrous. 



The species may be described as follows : — 



VerriilClllar names. — " Peppermint " is its usual name ahoiit Port Jackson an<l in some other 

 districts. It goes by the name of "Messmate "in some other parts of the State. It has been called 

 " Almond-leaved Stringybark " and .sometimes " White Stringybark." Through confusion with E.piluUris 

 (to which it is often not dissimilar in general appearance) it is sometimes known as " Blackbutt," but such 

 names as Stringybark and Blackbutt as applied to this species should be discouraged. 



Bark. — Sub-fibrous on the trunk, with smooth branches. In mountainous districts it is often 

 decidely a ribbony Gum. 



Timber- —Pale-coloured, with gum-veins, deficient in strength and durability, and only used in 

 default of better timber. 



Seedling leaves. — The seedlings are cordate at the base ; stem-clasping, blunt, or with a short, 

 sharp apex. They are arranged decussately and horizontally ; hardly glaucous ; paler on the underside. 

 Venation well marked. They have a strong peppermint perfume. 



Mature leaves. — Very oblique, more or less falcate and acuminate. In the Flora Australiensis 

 it is stated that the leaves are rarely above 1 inch long, but this appears to be a mere typographical error, 

 as specimens with far longer leaves which were examined by Bentham himself, and leaves 5 or 6 inches 

 long, are common. The venation is oblique. 



Flowers.— Eenantherous. The bud has a pointed operculum and is often curved ; often nearly 

 falcate when unripe. Sometimes the operculum is markedly pale-coloured ; this is accentuated in dried 

 specimens. 



Fruit. — The fruits may be arranged under three forms, which pass into one another : — 



(a) Urceolate (the type). 



(b) Egg-shaped. 



(c) Nearly spherical, open-mouthed. 



Notes supplementary to the description. 



As regards the shape of the fruits, we have — 



(«) Urceolate. — This is the commonest Port Jackson form, and must, we think, 

 be regarded as the type. It is probably the form corresponding to the leaves 

 secured by White. It is found in the Blue Mountains, Goulburn, Braid- 

 wood, Moruya, and throughout the range of the species generally. 



{b) Egg-shaped. — The range of this form is probably co-extensive with the 

 species. We have egg-shaped fruits from Port Jackson, the Blue 

 Mountains and the Mudgee district, and south to Thirlmere, Picton to 

 Bargo and UUadulla. 



(c) Nearly spherical. — These occur at Manly, Port Jackson, and some other 



places elsewhere in this State. Some of Mr. Hewitt's Gippsland specimens 



in my opinion also fall under this group. The fruits are very small, not 



exceeding 2 lines in diameter. 



This form may, perhaps, be confused with B. niimerosa, Maiden, if individual 



fruits be alone examined, but the leaves of the latter are much narrower, are thinner, 



duller, full of oil dots (the leaves reek with oil), and the twigs are rusty-tuberculate. 



