335 



DESCRIPTION. 



XXXIX. Eucalyptus Behriana, F.v.M. 



Following is the original description of the species : — ■ 



Fruticose ; leaves alternate, coriaceous, somewhat shining, lanceolate or ovate, acute, slightly 

 oblique, thinly veined, dotted ; umbels pedunculate, panicled, few-flowered ; flowers small, nearly sessile ; 

 lid hemispherical, blunt or minutely apiculate : tube of the calyx obconical, bell-shaped, nearly twice as 

 long as the lid ; fruit half-ovate, sessile, not contracted at the top, valves of the capsule enclosed ; seeds 

 brown, streaked. 



In arid plains and on stony hills near the Avoca, Murray, and Gawler Rivers, and in Bacchus 

 Marsh.— Trans. Vic. Inst, i (1855), 34. 



At about the same time Mueller sent specimens to Miquel, who was then 

 engaged on his " Stirpes Xovo-Uollandas." The latter independently described the 

 species, and as his description is published in Ned. Kruidk., Arch, iv, 140 (1856,* 

 not 1859, as mentioned in B.FL), an excessively rare work, I quote it here : — 



39. Eucalyptus Behriana, Ferd. Mull. E. pruinosa, Behr. Herb, non Schauer. Fruticosa, ramulis 

 teretiusculis summo apice compresso-angulatis foliisque subtus pruinosis, his ovato-lanceolatis ina^quilateris 

 acuminatis, basi in petiolum contractis, coriaceis, penniveniis, umbellis capitatis paucifloris (1-7 floris), in 

 paniculis axillaribus lateralibus et terminalibus confertis, pedunculis umbellarum teretiusculis, calycis tubo 

 parvo obconico turbinato, operculo hemisphserico mutieo vel apiculato quani tubus duplo breviore. 



In Nova Hollandia australi legit cl. Dr. Behr., autumno. Teste CI. Miiller prope E. polyanthemos 

 inserenda. Frutex 6-12 pedalis. Folia ad 3 poll, longa -J- lata. 



It is figured in the "Eucalyptographia," but the figure is not a very good one. 



Notes supplementary to the description. 



E Behriana is always a Mallee. It grows in scrubs, and usually is 5 to 

 10 feet his'h. though it sometimes forms small trees, which have rarelv a diameter of 

 as much as 9 inches. The bark is alwavs smooth, and commonly of a dirty-white 

 colour, or, according to one observer, of "a dark oily-looking green." The timber 

 is red. The flowers and fruit are small, with a panicled inflorescence, the opercula 

 being blunt, and the fruit shiny and dark coloured. It bears seed abundantly. The 

 leaves are comparatively broad, and are thick and shiny. 



Notes on variations in this species will be found in the description under 

 Plate 48. 



SYNONYM. 



E. pruinosa, Behr, non Schauer. See above. I have seen a specimen. 



* 1856 is the date of the green paper-covered paper Part mainly occupied by Miquel's paper. 



F 



