EUCALYPTUS TESSELLARIS. 



fertile seeds are much larger, comparatively more compressed and distinctly margined ; but the 

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

 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. tesseUaris 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 GUbert-Eiver 

 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. tesseUaris extends to New Guinea, specimens folly responding to Australian ones having 

 been received more lately from the devoted missionary the Eev. 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 stiU unknown. 



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



content with dry locaUties, whether ridges or flats, but braves even the long-contiaued 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 cUmatic adversities this tree wUl gain a height up 



to 150 feet and a stem-diameter of 3 feet, according to observations of the Eev. H. Kempe 



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



foUage 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 comparison to some others wUl 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. 



Kecokds 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 square, weights being 

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

 Eucalyptus maculata 



Sir. Byerley referred to the transverse breaking strain, which various Eucalyptus-woods wUl 

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



Ex PT. AN -ATioy OF ANALYTIC DETAILS.— 1, an uncxpanded flower, the lid lifted; 2, longitudinal section of an 

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

 6, style and stigma ; 7 and 8, longitudinal and transverse section of fruit ; 9 and 10, fertile and sterile seeds ; 11, part of a 

 leaf ; aU figures magnified, but to various extent. 



