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E. virgaia, Sieb., and E. stricta, Sieb. 



The original description of E. virgata, Sieb. (in SprengeFs Cur. Post., 195, 1827), is as 

 follows: — 



E. opereulo conico pedunculis 3-floris incrassatis cornpressis rugosis erectiuseulis foliis lanceolatis 

 acuminatis coriaceis subvenosis glabris. 



This was expanded by De Candolle (Prod, iii, 217) into the following words:— 

 Opereulo conico cupulas longitudine, pedunculis axillaribus latcralibus petiolo vix longioribus 

 pedicellisque ancipitibus, foliis oblongo-linearibus utrinque acuminatus crassiusculis coriaceis subaveniis. 

 Folii petiolus -1 lin. longus. lamina 4-6 poll, longa 6-9 lin. lata. Urnbelhe 5-6-florre. Margo folii crassius- 

 culus. 



E. virgata is redescribed by Bentharn (B.F1. iii, 202) 



Chiefly from Oldfield's, WoolLvs, and F. Mueller's specimens. Sbb2r's appear to be the same, 

 but they are only in young bud, and, therefore, uncertain. It differs from both E. coriacea and E. obliqua 

 in the outer stamens bearing only abortive anthers, and in that respect approaches E. hcemastoma, from 

 which it differs as well in foliage and in fruit, as in these imperfect stamens being much fewer and rarely, if 

 ever, quite without anthers. 



The E. virgata of B.F1. iii, 202, confuses E. virgata, Sieb., with the " Mountain 

 Ash," afterwards defined as E. Sieberiana, F.v.M. Mueller, in the " Eucalyptographia" 

 perpetuated a similar mistake, in a reverse direction, at the time he defined the common 

 " Mountain Ash " with rugged bark as a new species, E. Sieberiana (it is certainly a 

 good species), but confusing it with E. virgata, Sieb. Typical E. virgata, Sieb., is usually 

 a tall shrub, as its name denotes, while E. Sieberiana, F.v.M., is usually a forest tree. 



Previously, however (in 1880), the species was regarded by Mueller, in the same 

 work (Eucalyptographia), as a synonym of E. Sieberiana (Decade 2). 



E. virgata was in 1884 considered by Mueller (Decade 10, Eucalyptographia) as 

 a form of E. stricta. 



E. virgata as a specific name was ignored by Mueller until the publication of the 

 2nd Census in 1889. 



Then we have Luehmann's view: — ■ 

 E. virgata. — Although I believe that Mueller was correct in including this as a variety in E. stricta, 

 yet I have kept it apart as the appearance of the extreme forms is so very different. (Trans. Aust. 

 Assoc. Adv. Science, 1898, p. 529.) 



In the Eucalyptographia (Decade 10) under E. stricta, Mueller includes E. virgata 

 and E. Luehmanniana, but not E. obtusiftora. 



At one time Mueller used to label' specimens of our common obtusiflora " E. 

 obtusiftora, Benth. non DC; E. stricta, Sieb. var." 



Mueller, Luehmann, and I all agree that E. virgata and E. stricta are conspecific. 

 If anyone will examine my large series of specimens, and also contemplate the plants 

 in the field, I fail to see how he can keep them under two species names. It becomes 

 a matter for consideration as to whether virgata or stricta is the older one. 



