158 



Variety nil i<la. Bentli. 



19. E. nitida, Hook, f. : — 



Arbor mediocris, ramulis pendulis, foliis anguste lanceolatis longe acuminatis coriaceis nitidis 

 vernicosis nervis divergentibus, pedunculis validis multittoris, floribus brevibus subsessilibus, calyce breviter 

 clavato v. obconico, operculo brevi lato, capsulis sessilibus parvis subglobosis ore contracto v. subdilatato, 

 marginibus crassis plains angustive. (Tab. xxix. ) (Gunn, 808.) 



Hal). — Hobarfcon, Circular Head, Currie's River, east of Georgetown; A. Cunningham, Gunn. 



I have great doubts as to the distinctness of this species, which I have at one time been inclined to 

 refer to K amygdalina, and at others to E. radial a (Risdoni, var. elata, in part, J. H. M.), but from both 

 of which it ditteis in very small sessile fruit, and very shining, coriaceous leaves. Gunn says that at the 

 Currie's River it forms a bush only, 5 feet high ; and that at Circular Head it grows 10-20 feet high, and 

 appears more i>f a shrub than a tree. It approaches E. stellulata, Sieber, in many points, but wants the 

 three parallel nerves of that plant, and the large operculum. — (Hook., f., Fl. Tas., 1, 137, with plate.) 



20. E. radiata, Hook., f. (non Sieb.), var. 5. Fl. Tas., i, 137. 



o. 



. Foliis angustis elongatis, capsulis parvis obconicis. Arbor elata, ad E. nitidam tendens. 



(Hook, f., loc. cit.). 



A label by Hooker is " A large dense tree near tbe sea at Port Arthur," 

 which also is a locality for bis E. nitidus. The two are, in fact, identical. 



Messrs. Baker and Smith (Research on the Eucalypts, p. 169), say — 



It is now shown that its (E. amuqdalind) leaves, timber, bark, fruits, chemical constituents, 

 &c, differentiate it clearly and distinctly from . . . . E. nitida, Hook., f., 



but no evidence is furnished in support of this statement. 



When reducing E. nitida to a variety of E. amygdalina, Bentham has a note : 



Leaves broader and more rigid. Peduncles and pedicels shorter. Tlowers rather longer. 

 (E. nitidi, Hook. f.). In the dried specimens this variety appears to pass into the variety elala of E, 

 Bisdoni.—(B.F\. iii, 203.) 



Rod way (The Tasmanian Flora, p. 56), defines var. nitida as — 



Differing from small-statured individuals only in the leaves being broader and more rigid, 

 running absolutely into the type. 



Tbere is no doubt that the species passes imperceptibly into var. nitida, which 

 has thicker, broader leaves, broad, domed, red rim, fruits in heads ; but all these 

 points are variable. It is, indeed, not a strong variety; it is especially close to the 

 shiny and coriaceous amygdalina so common near the coast in many parts of 

 Tasmania. 



21. E. ambigua, DC. : — 



E ambigua, operculo hemisphserico mucronulato cupuHi breviore, pedunculis axillaribus compressis 

 petioli longitudine, umbellis 8-9 Horis eapitatis, foliis lanceolatis subcoriaceis basi requaliter attenuatis apice 

 acuminato-muci'onulatis. In Nova Hollandia. Labillardiere. Attinis E. ligustrince et amygdalincB. Fructus 

 subglobosus duplo major. Pet. et pedunc, 2-3 lin. longi. Folia 2-3 poll, longa 6-12 lin. lata rigidula 

 venis lateralibus vix perspicuis. — (DC. Prod, iii, 219.) 



