488 



per cent, of that constituent in the crude oil. The rectified' 

 oil was tinged yellow, a peculiarity common to the oils of this 

 group. This colour is traceable to quinone influence derived 

 from the peculiar form of phenol present in the oils of the 

 cineol class, other than those of the "Peppermints" and the 

 "Ashes." The phenol (tasmanol) which occurs in the oils 

 of these latter groups contains a methoxy group, so that 

 quinone is not an oxidation product, and consequently the 

 rectified oils obtainable from species belonging to these groups 

 are colourless. 



27. Eucalyptus leucoxylon, F. v. M. 



"Blue Gum." 



This species was described first by Baron von Mueller in 

 the Transactions of the Victorian Institute, i., 33, 1854, and 

 again in 1860-1861 in his "Fragmenta," ii., p. 60, but in this, 

 latter he includes the "Ironbark" now recognized as K. 

 sideroaylon, so that that description is a composite one; and 

 Mueller, in his "Eucalyptographia/' further perpetuates the 

 error. 



Woolls (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, 1886, p. 859) 

 details the differences of the two species, so that he is really 

 the author of the species. 



J. E. Brown, late Conservator of Forests, South Austra- 

 lia, describes and figures the species with three plates, dividing- 

 it into four varieties, viz. : — 



fa) The "Blue Gum," small fruits and white flowers. 



(h and c) "White" and "Red Flowering Gum," with 

 large fruits; var. macrocarpa. 



fd) The "Scrubby Blue Gum"; var. pawperita . 



We are inclined to regard, until further investigated,. 

 (b and c) as type, fa) just a white variety of the type, and. 

 fd) as a distinct form, deserving specific rank. 



Essential Oil. 



Leaves and terminal branchlets of this species for distil- 

 lation were collected at the King-scote end of Kangaroo Island 

 in the month of June. This species grows somewhat plenti- 

 fully on Kangaroo Island, and is stated to have both red and 

 white flowers. It seems to be generally known throughout 

 the island as "Blue Gum." 



