lOI 



3. Callitris verrucosa, 



R.Br., ex MIrb. in Mem. Mus., Par. xiii, 74. 

 "CYPRESS "OR "TURPENTINE PINE." 



(Syn. : — F . verrucosa, A. Cunn.) 



Habitat. 



The geographical Hmitations of this tree are well defined in New South 

 Wales, for it is essentially a dry country species, and extends for many miles 

 over the country around Mount Hope and to the westward. 



It was also found by the Elder Exploring Expedition in the heart of the 

 continent, and from there it extends into ^^"estern Australia to Boorabbin 

 (Dr. A. Morrison). 



It is doubtful whether it occurs in Queensland. 



I. HISTORICAL. 



This ^\•as one of the earliest species discovered, even x\llan Cunningham's 

 specimens from the Euryalean Scrub being dated 1S17. It is easily distinguished 

 from C . glaiica by its darkly shaded green branchlets and its warty cones, thicker 

 valves, and its low-growing habit. Its vernacular name of " Turpentine Pine " 

 is given to it, according to the teacher of Mount Hope Public School, on account 

 of the large quantity of turpentine contained in the cone tubercles. 



It was thought to be the Eastern form of C. robusta of \^'estern Australia, 

 or vice versa by Bentham, but as Cunningham and Brown saw, collected, and 

 named the trees, and evidently were so impressed with their differences as to give 

 them specific rank, we think that science is better ser\'ed by following their nomen- 

 clature than by generalising on the possibility of variation, especially in view of 

 present facts adduced in this investigation that strongly support constanc}^ of 

 species in the genus. Then again there is C. tubei'ciilata, R.Br., which has also 

 warty cones as well as C. robusta, R.Br., a tree which has them even more 

 pronounced than any other species. 



In the light of the knowledge gained by this research, we think that it is 

 better for pure, and certainly applied science, to separate these species, as did 

 Brown and Cunningham, rather than follow Bentham' s classification, for we 

 have not found any intermediate forms either in European herbaria or field speci- 

 mens sufficient to prove a gradation. 



