159 



II. SYSTEMATIC. 



This is a shapely tree attaining a height from 40 to 60 feet, with a dark 

 compact rough bark. Branchlets in thick clusters; leaves, terete or with obtuse 

 angles, greenish-blue in colour, internodes exceedingly short, free portion acute, 

 incurved. Male amenta cylindrical, about a line long, terminal in clusters of two, 

 three, or four in spikes. Female amenta at the lower portions of the branchlets. 



Fruit cones globose, flattened at the base and a little at the top, slightly 

 rough on the outside, 6 lines in diameter before expanding, solitary or in clusters ; 

 valves thin, valvate, alternately large and small, the latter, linear lanceolate, the 

 former broadest in the middle, channelled at the base, dorsal point not prominent. 

 The central columella from 3 to 4 lines in height. Seeds nearly all two-winged. 



The pronounced columella is characteristic, but for systematic purposes the 

 three smaller valves of the cones differentiate, more especially the species. They 

 are narrow, with parallel sides, whilst in all other species are convergent to the 

 apex. The timber and chemistry also differentiate it from C. intratropica. 



This species is found in patches along the southern Queensland coast and 

 N.E. corner of New South Wales. It is found almost on the sea shore, in the 

 slight hollows behind the sea beach. It does not attain a large size ; some trees 

 of I foot in diameter and 30 feet high were noticed on private property. As a 

 rule it occurs as a shrub up to 12 feet high and densely tangled with other vegeta- 

 tion (Casuarina, &c.). It is very irregular and straggly in growth even when in tree 

 form, lacking the regular branches of C. glauca, or the stately, narrow appearance 

 of C. rhomboidea. (C. F. Laseron.) 



III. LEAVES. 



(a) Economic (^vide Chemistry). 

 (&) Anatomy. 



The general outline of a cross section through the leaves of the genus may 

 be described as a trefoil; but in this instance the dorsal surface is a httle more 

 flattened than in that of other Callitris, as seen in a section when taken through 

 the top of the oil cavities as in Figures 96 and 97. The individual leaf section 

 is not at all unlike an umbrella, for the cells of the spongy mesophyll corres- 

 ponding to the ribs, the cells of this tissue being elongated, appear to radiate 

 from the central cyhnder of the branchlet, and this angle of radiation is also 

 obvious in the long axils of the palisade parenchyma; but when taken lower 

 down, as in Figures 94 and 95, the resemblance more closely approaches its 

 congeners. 



