EUCALYPTUS TESSELLARIS. 



fertile seeds are mucli larger, comparatively raore compressed and distinctly margined ; but the 

 last-mentioned characteristic is not well expressed in the lithographic illustration of E. tessellaris 

 now offered, figure 9 having been drawn from unripe seeds. Again the plate of E. trachyphloia 

 gives the venation of the leaves of that species too prominent, and would be apt in comparison 

 with the lithogram of E. tessellaris to mislead. In reality our present plant is more nearly akin 

 to E. clavigera, differing principally in the smoothness of the branchlets and young foliage, in the 

 narrowness and always scattered position of the leaves and in the lesser number and shortness of 

 its flower-stalklets. E. clavigera has recently been brought from the Mitchell- and Grilbert-River 

 by Mr. Edw. Palmer, who observed that also on old trees of 40 feet height the leaves were mostly 

 opposite, that the bark is rough and light-brown towards the base of the stem, but otherwise 

 smooth and whitish. 



E. tessellaris extends to New Guinea, specimens fully responding to Australian ones having 

 been received more lately from the devoted missionary the Rev. T. Chalmers ; by these samples 

 the transit seems established to E. Papuana (F. v. M., Papuan plants 8), which was described 

 1875 from scanty material of an aberrant form with broader leaves and longer flower-stalklets. 

 The bark and ripe seeds of E. Papuana remain still unknown. 



E. tessellaris must be regarded as a species of considerable importance. It is not only 

 content with dry localities, whether ridges or flats, but braves even the long-continued hot winds 

 of the midsummers in Central Australia on places, where the thermometer will rise on unshaded 

 spots to 154° F. Even contending with such climatic adversities this tree will gain a height up 

 to 160 feet and a stem-diameter of 3 feet, according to observations of the Eev. H. Kemjoe 

 on the Mission-Station at the Finke-River. The climatic effect is however shown there by the 

 foliage assuming a paler color than in the eastern districts. The elasticity of the wood suggested 

 to the early settlers the vernacular name, under which this tree is now widely known. In an 

 annexed note, kindly supplied from his own professional experiments by Mr. Byerley, the merits 

 of this wood in comj)arison to some others will be recognized ; but the timber of this tree 

 seems not so durable as that of many other Eucalypts, when exposed to weather ; the wood 

 however has the advantage on account of lesser hardness to be easier worked by artisans than 

 timber of numerous other congeners ; it serves for a variety of implements well, also for staves 

 and flooring. Kino is exuded by this tree in not unconsiderable quantity periodically. 



Recokds concerning the transverse strength of some Queensland Eucalyptus-wood, giving the mean-results of 

 numerous experiments instituted by Fred. Byerley, Esq^., C.E., on seasoned specimens of one inch sc^uare, weights being 

 applied to the middle of the rods, between supports one foot apart, the ends being free : — 



Eucalyptus maculata ... ... bore to 1239 lb. avou-dupois. 



1134 



tessellaris 



, ±10'± 



997 



crebra 



970 



tereticornis 



799 



platypliylla 



793 



terminalis 



606 



Raveretiana 



574 



Mr. Byerley referred to the transverse breaking strain, which various Eucalyptus-woods will 

 bear, also in the Australian Engineering and Building News, November 1879. 



Explanation of Analytic Details.— 1, an nnexpanded flower, the lid lifted; 2, longitudinal section of an 

 unexpauded flower ; 3, some outer stamens expanded ; 4 and 5, front- and back-Tiew of an anther with part of filament ; 

 6, style and stigma; 7 and S, longitudinal and transverse section of fruit ; 9 and 10, fertile and sterile seeds; 11, part of a 

 leaf ; all figures magnified, but to various extent. 



