Eucalyptus i<^45 



EUCALYPTUS ACERVULA, Swamp Gum 



Eucalyptus acervula, Miquel, in Nederl. Kruidk. Arch. iv. 137 (1859) (not Sieberi); J. D. Hooker, 



Fl. Tasm. i. 135 (i860)] Rodway, Tasm. Flora, 57 (1903). 

 Eucalyptus Stuartiana, Mueller,^ ex Miquel, in Nederl. Kruidk. Arch. iv. 131 (1859); Mueller, in 



Bentham, Fl. Austral, iii. 243 (1866) (in part). 

 Eucalyptus persidfolia^ Miquel, in Nederl. Kruidk. Arch. iv. 137 (1859). 

 Eucalyptus Gunnii, J. D. Hooker, var. acervula, Deane and Maiden, in Froc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, 



xxvi. 136 (1901). 

 Eucalyptus Gunnii, var. elata, J. D. Hooker, Bot. Mag. t. 7808 (1901). 



A tree,* attaining in Tasmania and Australia a height of 200 ft. in very favour- 

 able situations, but usually not more than 100 ft. Bark peeling off and smooth, 

 except on old trunks, which are scaly near the base. This species differs from 

 E. Gunnii in its larger size, and in the branchlets, leaves, flowers and fruit being 

 never glaucous. Leaves larger than in that species, up to 4 in. long and \\ in. 

 broad, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, dull green on both surfaces, often undulate in 

 margin, usually straight, and not falcate, commonly equal but sometimes oblique at 

 the cuneate base, tapering to the acuminate or cuspidate apex, which ends in a short 

 point ; thick and firm in texture ; venation and oil - dots inconspicuous ; petiole 

 twisted, 4 to f in. long. 



Flowers, axillary or lateral, 4 to 8 in the umbel ; peduncle 5 to f in. ; pedicels 

 usually short and thick ; calyx-tube conical, shining, \ in. in diameter at the widest 

 part ; operculum shorter than or as long as the calyx-tube, conical, ending in a long 

 point ; stamens all perfect, inflexed in the bud ; anthers ovate with parallel distinct 

 cells. Fruit obconic, about \ in. long and \ in. broad at the distal end, with a narrow 

 rim and a wide orifice ; capsule scarcely sunk, with four valves protruding when open. 



This is one of the most widely diffused species,* occurring abundantly at low 

 elevations in Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales ; and by no means rare in 

 South Australia and Queensland. It is known in Tasmania as red gum, in Victoria 

 as swamp gum, and in New South Wales as white gum, swamp gum, or 

 hickory. De Coque referring to it, under the name E. Gunnii, says^ that the 

 swamp gum in New South Wales produces worthless timber, which is soft and 

 spongy, open in the grain, and retentive of moisture. Totally unfit for any work 

 whatever, it should never be used in any circumstances. 



1 E. acervula, Sieber, in De Candolle, Prod. iii. 217 (1828), is identified with E. piperita. Smith, by Bentham, 

 Fl. Austr. iii. 207 (1866). 



2 E. Stuartiana, Mueller, was founded on a Tasmanian specimen collected by Stuart, which is E. acervula, Miquel. 

 The name E. Stuartiana, Mueller, is now applied by Maiden to another species, the "Apple Eucalyptus" of Victoria and 

 New South Wales. Cf. p. 16 15. 



3 E. persicifolia, Loddiges, Bot. Cab. vi. t. 501 (1821) is, I think, correctly referred to E. mminalis, Labill., by 

 Bentham and Mueller, Fl. Austral, iii. 240 (1866); but Maiden, in Proc. Livn. Soc. N.S. Wales, xxvi. 556 (1901) 

 considers it to be E. acervula, Miquel. 



* Maiden mentions several varieties, as ovata and maatlosa, occurring in Australia, which it is not necessary further to 

 allude to, as they would not be hardy in Britain. 



^ Joum. Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S. Wales, xxviii. 213 (1894). Mueller, however, speaking of this species as a form of 

 E. Gunnii, says that the wood is hard, good for many purposes, if straight stems are obtainable ; as a rule not splitting weU, 

 but fair for fiiel. 



