68 



of E. piperita, are usually sufficient to at once distinguish the species in the field. 

 The orifice of the fruit is sometimes a little contracted, reminding one in this 

 respect, and in its general shape of the capsule, of some forms of E. piperita ; hut 

 it is larger than the fruit of that species. Drying accentuates the contraction of 

 the orifice in hoth. The two may he at once separated hy the venation and shape 

 of the leaves, shape of the huds, &c. ; put the two species approach one another 

 sometimes very closely in the shape of fruits. 



4. E. coriacea, A. Cunn. — The fruits of E. obliqua sometimes have great 

 similarity to those of E. coriacea. This is shown in Plate 7, fig. 4, hut very rarely is 

 the rim so thick as depicted therein. Mueller says : — 



The veins of the leaves are occasionally so much longitudinal as to bring E. obliqua thus far into 

 close approach to E. pauciflora (coriacea), which species is allied also in many other respects, but has a 

 smooth, whitish bark, the outer stamens not all fertile, the fruit hardly contracted at the summit, the rim 

 not so narrow, and the valves nearer to the orifice ; the wood of the two is also different. The calyx, 

 however, is likewise somewhat rough in E. pauciflora. (" Eucalyptographia.") 



They could never he mistaken in the field ; one is a White Gum and the other 

 is a Stringy hark. The succulence and thick rim of the fruits, and the straight 

 (longitudinal) veins and succulence of the leaves of E. coriacea, are usually quite 

 sufficient to distinguish the species. 



5. E. Sieberiana, i\ v. M. 



E. Sieberiana, in comparison with E. obliqua, can be easily recognised by its more rugged and solid 

 bark, which partially secedes, by its less fissile wood, the less prominent veins of its leaves, generally 

 broader and more compressed flower-stalks, outer stamens sterile, fruit less contracted at the orifice, with 

 flatter rim and with valve? near the summit. (Mueller, in "Eucalyptographia.") E. Sieberiana is our 

 common Mountain Ash. 



6. E. virgata, Sieb. — The variety altior of this species is closest allied to 

 E. obliqua, and may readily be confused with the "gum-topped " form of the latter 

 species (see page 69). 



The following paper, read by mo before the Royal Society of Tasmania in 

 1902, and entitled, "The Gum-top Stringybarks of Tasmania : a Study in Variation," 

 has a direct bearing on the affinities of E. obliqua with other species. I would 

 specially invite attention to " C," (E. obliqua), p. 69. 



The Gum-top or Gum-topped Striugybark appears to attain its greatest 

 development in Tasmania, although it also occurs in Victoria and New South Wales. 

 It is a tree which may have a smooth, or nearly smooth, bark, with all stages of 

 fibrous covering up to nearly a normal striugybark. Apparently, as a general rule, 

 the bark becomes more fibrous as higher elevations are reached. 



I brought the matter of these " Gum-tops " under notice of the Australasian 

 Association for the Advancement of Science at its Hobart meeting (January, 1902) ; 

 gave considerable attention to the trees in the field in Tasmania ; have received 



