98 



2. E. dumosa, A. Cunn. 



Following is an extract from Allan Cunningham's Journal, under date 23rd 

 May, 1817 :— 



Eucalyptus dumosa. — Leaves alternate, ovate lanceolate, fruit rough. This plant forms the 

 principal shrub in a tract of confined bushy scrub. 



A little later, Oxley made the entry : — ■ 



June 10th, 1817. — Mr. Cunningham named those thick brushes of Eucalyptus that spread in every 

 direction around us Eucalyptus dumosa, or the dwarf gum, as they never exceed 20 feet in height, and are 

 generally from 12 to 15, spreading out into a bushy circle from their roots in such a manner that it is 

 impossible to sec farther than from one bush to another, and these are very often united by a species of 

 vine (' assytha), and the intermediate space covered with prickly wire-grass, rendering a passage through 

 them equally painful and tedious. (Journals of two Expeditions, Oxley, 1820, p. G3.) 



About this time, say between 23rd May and 10th .Tune, Allan Cunningham 

 was mainly between 33° and 31° S. lat. and 116° and 117° E. long'., i.e., in the 

 Wyalong-Booligal country. 



In 182S A. l)e Candolle described {Prod, iii, 220) E. cneorifolia, but 

 unfortunately there are two species in the Prodromus Herbarium under this name. 

 I am obliged to M. Casimir De Candolle for permission to examine the specimens. 

 The following, which is figured at plate 16, is E. incrassata, var. dumosa. 



Its original label reads — 

 Eucalyptus viminalis, Nouvelle Hollande, Cute Orientale, Musee de Paris, 1821. 



An additional label bears the words — 



34 E. cneorifolia,' DC, altera species. (2) Species foliis oblongo-lanceolatis. 



I think the following is the first formal description of E. dumosa, 

 A. Cunn. : — - 



Fruticosa: ramulis rigidulis teretib. : foil, coriaceis firmis oblongis lanceolatisve, basi subobliqua in 

 petiolum attenuatis, breviter acuminatis, utrinq. kevib. pallide virentib. subopacis imperforates ; umbellis 

 axillarib. 3-5 floris ; pedunculo tereti v. subangulato petiolum Eequante; pedicellis angulatis cupula 

 breviot'ib. ; operculo coriaceo subdepresso-hemisphaerico apiculato radiatim costato cupula cyathiformi vix 

 costata nonnihil latiore vix longiore et cum ea hitido. Foliorum lamina 2-3 uncias longit., 6-9 lin. latit., 

 petiolus 8 lin. long, rnetientes : alabastra adulta cum pedicello 5 lin. longa, operculo 2 lin. alto. In fructicetis 

 Novse Cambria' australis interioris. A. Cunn.. Herb., X". 206, 1817. Schauer in Walp. Rep. ii, 925. 



Var. puncliculata, Benth. 



Leaves copiously black -dotted, flowers small. W. Australia, from Gordon River, Oldfeld, to Mount 

 Barren Ranges, Max,,',!/. (B.F1. iii, 230.) 



Var. (?) rhndophloht, Benth. 

 Bark ^almon-coloured, leaves black-dotted, flowers rather small, the operculum conical or almost 

 acuminate.. Capsule on alevel with therimof the fruit. Possibly a distinct species. W. Australia, Phillips 

 Bluffs, near Eyre's Relief, Maxwell. (B.F1. iii, 230.) 



Both the above were described by Bentham as forms of E. dumosa. I have 

 not seen them to my recollection. At Plate 21 I- submit drawings indicating 

 essential parts of these so-called varieties. It is not an uncommon circumstance for 

 the leaves of E. incrassata to be black-dotted. See additional observations at p. 122. 



