302 THE FLORA OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. 



Prodr., iii., p. 212 (1828), quoted as synonym under M. viridiflora, and Benth 

 fl., p. 143. The following is a copy of the description given by Schauer ; — 



Foil, sparsis conf ertis coriaoeis obliquis patulis oblongo-lanceolatis breviter 

 petiolatis acuminatis inermib. trinervis glabris ; spicis singulis v. plurib. 

 subapicaUb. laxiusculis ebracteatis, rachide calycq. sub-cylindrico cano- 

 tomentosis, hajus debtin. herbaceis subrotundis ; phalangib, polyandris, 

 unguib. corolla duplobreviorib. ex apice factigiato-bilamentosis. In Nova 

 Cambria australis. Bentham (B. Fl. iii., 143) refers to this species and suggests 

 that it is probably only a form of M. Leticadendron. Baker and Smith, I.e., 

 regard it as a synonym of M. lanceolata, R. Br. Herb. 



I have not seen the original specimens, but judge from the above descrip- 

 tion that it was drawn up from specimens collected by Sieber during his short 

 stay here about 182."). We know that Sieber collected most of his plants in the 

 Port Jackson district, and the Blue Mountains, and can safely assume that he 

 collected specimens of the plants commonly known as the '' Broad-leaved Tea 

 Tree," which has whitish flowers and prompted him to name it Metrosideros 

 cdbida, as most of the Melaleucas and Callistemons were in those days regarded 

 as belonging to the genus Metrosideros. It very closeljr resembles the var. 

 nridiflora, and is very difficult to distinguish from that variety, as the morpho- 

 logical characters are so much alike. The leaves are rather smaller, and they 

 are usually 5-nerved, whereas those of var. viridiflora are more often 5 to 7- 

 nerved. Messrs. Baker and Smith have also found that the oil of the Sydney 

 plants is distinct from the oil of the plants found in the Northern parts of the 

 State, so that it seems desirable to give it a distinctive varietal name. R. Brown 

 seems to have regarded it as identical with Gsertner's and Smith's plants, as a 

 specimen in the National Herbarium, Sydney, collected by Brown (Iter Aus- 

 traliense, R. Brown, 1802-5, Ex. Herb. Hort. Bot. Reg. Edin. Presented by J. 

 J. Bennett to the British Museum in 1876, is labelled " M. Leucadendron 

 (M. viridiflora).'' 



There is also another specimen collected by Brown labelled " M. Leuca- 

 dendron var." ; this latter belongs to the var. viridiflora. Specimens in the 

 National Herbarium, Sydney, which may be placed under the var. albida are 

 from the following localities : — 



i?ydney, B. Bynoe (no date given) ; South Head Road (Weber, March, 

 1857)'; Rose Bay (J. H. Maiden, May, 1897, and E. Cheel, April, 1898) ; New- 

 castle (R. H. Cambage, July, 1901) ; Nambucca Heads (J. L. Boorman, June, 

 1910) ; Wamberal (E. Cheel, April, 1911) ; Tuggerah Lakes (A. A. Hamilton, 

 April, 1915) ; Lake Macquarie (Miss P. Clarke, April, 1915) ; Port Stephens and 

 Port Macqurie (J. L. Boorman, June, 1915) ; Wilson River, Telegraph Point 

 (J. H. Maiden, May, 1915) ; Botanic Gardens, Sydney, near Hot House, and on 

 lawn in lower garden near duck-pond, with a photograph of the latter. Some 

 specimens from Laurieton (J. L. Boorman, November, 1915) seem to belong to 

 this variety, although in some respects they approach the var. viridiflora. A 

 specimen of M. Smilhii, R. T. Baker, marked " Type," with a slali of timber, is 

 also in the National Herbarium, Sydney. 



Forma ruscifolia (M. ruscifolia, Sol., Herb. (Banks and Solander, New 

 Holland). This is a very small-leaved form of the above variett/, the leaves 

 being only about 1 inch long. Otherwise it seems to belong to the var. albida. 



M. lasiandra, F. v. J/.— 40 miles N.N.W. Meyers" Hill, G. F. Hill (No. 238), 

 2;6/ll, and 60 miles N. of Camp iii., west of Sander Creek in Spencer's 

 desert, G. F. Hill (No. 340). The only specimen in the National Herbarium 

 collection, is one collected during the Calvert Expedition. It is recorded from 

 the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers by W. V. Fitzgerald. 



