EUCALYPTUS SIDEROPHLOIA. 



Bentham, flora Australiensis iii. 220 ; E. persicifolia, CandoUe, prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis iii. 



217, partim. 



Finally tall ; leaves elongate- or narrow-lanceolar, moderately or not much curved, often not 

 very inequilateral, of almost equal color on both sides ; primary veins numerous subtle mid very 

 spreading, the circumferential vein near to the edge of the leaf; oil-dots much concealed ; umbels 

 axillary, solitary or oftener many isaniculated, with about a dozen or usually less flowers or some 

 of the flowers only in pairs ; stalks and stalklets angular, not broadly dilated ; lid from a broad- 

 conical base attenuated into a usually narrow summit ; tube obconical-semiovate, somewhat angular, 

 gradually attenuated into the short stalklet, shorter than the lid ; stamens all fertile, outer fila- 

 ments not injlexed before ex2:>a7isio7i ; anthers very minute, roundish, opening by broadish parallel 

 slits or apertures ; stigma not or hardly broader than the style ; fruit almost semiovate, tapering 

 at the base, faintly angular ; rim rather narrow in age ; valves 4 or sometimes 5, inserted near the 

 orifice, at a level with the rim or half emerging ; seeds all without appendage, the sterile seeds not 

 very narrow. 



From the south-eastern districts of Queensland to the vicinity of Port Jackson. 



This is the principal Ironbark-tree of New South Wales, furuisliing the main-mass of timber 

 of " Ironbark " there for the lumber-trade, four other species yielding additionally that class of 

 wood in the sister-colony, namely E. crebra, E. melanophloia, E. paniculata and E. Leucosylon, of 

 all of which the latter species only extends to Victoria ; but Sydney Ironbark-timber, chiefly from 

 E. siderophloia, used to be imported into our market also, being of particular value. Maximum 

 height of the tree, according to Mr. Ch. Moore, 150 feet ; diameter of its stem to 4 feet. Bark 

 totally persistent, deeply and somewhat anastomosingly furrowed ; the furrows yellowish- or dark- 

 brown, without cross-fibres, the ridges yielding to p)ressure and fissurated (Dr. Beckler). Leaves 

 not very shining, rarely verging into an oval form, more so in young trees, turning also sometimes 

 sickleshaped ; stomata on both pages, but nearly twice as many below than above. Panicles 

 short, axillary and terminal. Umbels not rarely compound. Stamens almost straight in bud, 

 only slightly flexuose, thus imitating those of E. cornuta and its allies ; hence the anthers not 

 concealed before the expansion of the flower by the inflection of the filaments. Rim of the young 

 fruit encircled inside by a flat annular membrane. 



In the anthereal system of Bentham E. siderophloia belongs to the Micrantheras ; among the 

 species of this series it is near to E. crebra, differing in broader and stiffer leaves with less 

 isogenous stomata, thicker flowerstalks, larger flowers with a longer lid and also larger fruits, 

 which are comparatively not so turgid. Moreover Mr. Walter Hill found on Darling's Downs the 

 bark of E. crebra decorticating as well as persistent, a variability as yet not noticed in E. sidero- 

 phloia. Tliis tendency of the bark of E. crebra to secede at least from a portion of the branches 

 was noticed also by the late Edw. Bowman on the Suttor-Kiver. 



E. drepanophylla, which may be perhaps a mere variety of the imperfectly known E. lepto- 

 phleba, is still nearer to E. siderophloia than E. crebra ; it is generally of more stunted growth ; 

 its leaves are narrower, of a paler hue, more opaque, usually also more curved and provided with 

 stomata of almost equal number on either page ; the flowerstalks arc less angular and rather 

 thinner ; the lid is blunter and only of about the same length as that of tlie calyx-tube ; the 

 filaments .show a somewhat inflected curvature wliile in bud ; tlie style is shorter and bears a 

 slightly broader stigma. 



