99 



Backhouse's Blue Mountain specimens (Herb., Kew) referred by Bentham 

 (B.F1. iii, 280) to E. dumosa, A. Cunn., are in plump bud and in early fruit, with a 

 few stamens remaining on the specimens. The opercula are blunt, nearly hemi- 

 spherical, and the calyces are somewhat angular by compression. They are referable 

 to E. eugenioides, Sieb., and the materials available exhibit a remarkable superficial 

 resemblance to some specimens of E. clumosa, A. Cunn. 



A specimen collected by Backhouse on the Upper Hunter, N.S.W., Xo. 9 

 (Herb., Kew) has tbe buds so swollen by the punctures of an insect that the 

 specimen presents an appearance so peculiar that it has been referred doubtfully to 

 E. dumosa. It, however, belongs to E. hemiphloia, F.v.M., and this swelling of the 

 calyx is not uncommon in the genus. It will be figured when E. stellulata is 

 dealt with. 



Speaking of synonyms of E. dumosa, Bentham says : — 



E. santalifolia, Mq. I.e. 133 (except the r&r.firma), not of F. Muell. (B.F1. iii, 230.) 



With regard to the confusion of E. santalifolia, Micp with E. dumosa, var., 

 I will deal with the matter when treating of E. diversifolia, Bonpl. 



Bentham makes the very pardonable statement (B.F1. iii, 230) that E. 

 fruticetorum, F.v.M., is partly referable to E. dumosa. I have shown that it 

 belongs to E. calycogona, Turcz. See Fart III of this work, p. SO. 



Bark. — The blacks in South Australia powder the bark of the root of this, and, perhaps, other 

 mallees, and eat it alone, or mixed with portions of other plants. They call it "Congoo" (Proc. E. S., S.A.). 



Eyre in his overland journey from Adelaide to King George's Sound had this 

 fare : — 



At night we all made up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the green scrub. It 

 appears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district (Fowler Bay), judging from the 

 remnants left at their encamping places. The bark is peeled off the young roots, put into hot ashes until 

 nearly crisp, and then, the dust being shaken off, it is pounded between two stones and ready for use. 

 Upon being chewed, a farinaceous powder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no means 

 unpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste of malt ; how far a person, could live 

 upon this diet alone I have no means of judging, but it- certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I should 

 suppose, nutritious. (Journ. of Exped. of Discovery, i, 371.) 



He repeats his account somewhat at ii, 250, and adds, — 



Several of the roots of other shrubs are also used for food, and some of them are mucilaginous and 

 very palatable. At page 251 he speaks of the natives feeding on " the bark from the roots of many trees 

 and shrubs. 7 ' 



Oil. — Messrs. Baker and Smith {Research -on the Eucalypts, p. 285) give the 

 following particulars in regard to the oil of this variety. Specific gravity at 15° C, 

 - 9016 to 09151 ; specific rotation, [a] d = + 2 - 4i°to + 6 - 34i°; saponification number, 

 293 ; solubility in alcohol, If vols., 70 per cent. ; constituents found, eucalyptol, 

 pinene, aromadrendral. 



