DESCRIPTION 



E. regnans, F.v.M. 



Following is the original description of this species, as quoted by Mueller himself 

 in his " Second Census of Australian Plants " : — 



Eucalyptus amygdalina, Labill. — "In our sheltered, springy (containing water-springs — J.H.M.) 

 forest glens, attaining not rarely a height of over 400 feet, there forming a smooth stem and broad leaves, 

 producing also seedlings of a foliage different to the ordinary state of Eucalyptus amygdalina as occurs 

 in more open country. This species, or variety, which might be called Eiccalyptus regnans, represents the 

 loftiest tree in the British territory, and ranks next to the Sequoia W ellingtonia in size anywhere on the 

 globe. The wood is fissile, well-adapted for shingles, rails, for house-building, for the keelson and planking 

 of ships, and other purposes. Labillardiere's name applies ill to any of the forms of this species. Seedlings 

 raised on rather barren ground near Melbourne have shown the same amazing rapidity of growth as those 

 of Euc. globulus, yet, like those of Euc. obliqua, they are not so easily satisfied with any soil." — Report of 

 the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria (now Zoological and Acclimatisation Society); 7th report, 1870, p. 48. 



The tree is later referred to : — 



The very tall, whitish, straight columns of its stem (E. regnans) are developed in the valleys of 

 mountain forests only ; in lower regions the species dwindles down to a comparatively small tree [to which 

 the more persistent layers of the outer bark give a very different appearance. In this state it passes as a 

 peppermint-tree] among Victorian colonists, on account of the unusually large percentage of cajuput-like 

 essential oil. — (Mueller, " Suggestions on the Maintenance, Creation and Enrichment of Forests." Small 

 8vo., p. 31, 1878). 



Attention is invited to the words placed by me in brackets, in connection with 

 what is stated in regard to E.fastigata, infra, p. 186. Then, again, we have: — 



In sheltered, springy forest glens, attaining exceptionally to a height of over 400 feet, there forming 

 a smooth stem and broad leaves, producing also seedlings of a foliage different to the ordinary state of 

 E. amygdalina, as occurs in more open country, which has small narrow leaves and a rough brownish bark. 

 The former species, or variety, which might be called Eucalyptus regnans, represents probably the loftiest 

 tree on the globe. — (Mueller, Select Extra-tropical Plants; N.S.W. Ed., 1881, p. 114). 



In the Eucalyptographia, Mueller looked upon E. amygdalina as including 

 E. regnans, and he does not appear to have formally described E. regnans before 

 1887-8. Following are his words : — 



At last stupendously tall. 



Bark. — Outside whitish and smooch, except at the stem base. 



Leaves. — Of rather thin texture, from elongate to broad-lanceolar, much unilaterally curved, 

 shining on both sides, their secondary venules slightly spreading ; oil-dots extremely numerous and 

 pellucid. 



Umbels. — Mostly solitary. 



Flowers. — Small. 



Lid (Operculum ). — Hemispherical. 



Anthers. — Minute, renate. 



Fruit. — Quite small, generally semiovate, its border depressed or nearly flat : valves enclosed. 



Leaves. — Of young seedlings opposite, sessile, cordate-roundish, whitish from waxy bloom. 



" Giant-Gumtree " and "Spurious Blackbutt." — {Key to the System of Vict. Plants, i, 2.36.) 



The species may be defined in the following words : — 



A large tree, the largest indeed in Australia, though inferior in size to the "Redwood " (Sequoia 

 sempervirens) and the " Big tree " {Sequoia Wellingtonia) of "Western America (British Columbia and 

 California). Trees about 300 feet high are known in Victoria, and huge in girth and straight in trunk 

 they tower into the sky, affording little shade from their foliage because the scanty crown of leaves is so 

 far removed from the earth. Some of the largest trees of New South Wales also belong to this species. 



