82 



DESCRIPTION. 



LVII. E. sideroxylon, A. Cunn. 



Following is the earliest record I can find of this species : — 



At the base of the range of hills at Mount Maude some tolerable fair specimens of the Western 

 Ironbark, Eiicali/pf.ns sideroxylon, were noticed, bsing easily distinguished from its congeners by its 

 extreme rugged, furrowed bark, containing, like others of the Eucalypti, a strong astringent gum. 

 (A. Cunningham's MS. Journal, under date 19th May, 1817.) 



Oxley's expedition was then in latitude 33° 25' and longitude 14-7° 10', i.e., 

 ahout midway between Concloholin and Wyalong West. Some of these specimens 

 were distributed with Cunningham's name. 



The next reference I can find is : — ■ 



6th October, 1846 (near Mount Pluto), .... and among the larger forest trees was a 

 Eucalyptus, allied to, but probably dis'inct from, the E. sideroxylon, A. Cunn., p. 339 (Mitchell's Trap. 

 Journ. Austral., 339). 



In the list of plants collected by Mitchell's Expedition, at p. 437 of his work, 

 this plant, referred to at p. 339, is given as E. sideroxylon without any qualification. 

 I have seen the specimens in question, and they are what we know as E. sideroxylon, 

 A. Cnnn. 



Then Mueller described a White Gum under the name E. leucoxylon in 

 Trans. Vict. Nat., i, 33 (1S55). See below, p. 8S. 



Thereafter, for many years, this " White Gum " was confused with the New 

 South Wales " Ironbark." For example, Bentham in the Flora Australiensis 

 (iii, 210), who is followed by Bailey in th.3 Queensland Flora. Then Mueller, in 

 Eucalyptographia, continues to confuse the two trees. But in the field they could 

 not be considered identical for an instant. Bentham's description of E. leucoxylon 

 applies very well to that of E. sideroxylon, but requires to be supplemented in the 

 following points : — 



Juvenile 1 



eaves 





Eark 



.. « 



►• 



Timber 



... 



... 



E. eider oxylon. 



Seedlings linear-lanceolate or linear, 



thenceforward lanceolate. 

 Black, furrowed, and rugged (Ironbark) 



Deep red. 



E. leucoxylon. 



Cordate or ovate-lanceolate, sessile, 



glaucous. 

 Whitish or bluish, smooth (White or 



Blue Gum). 

 Pale brown or white (hence the name 



leucoxylon). 



The species {sideroxylon) may be described in the following words : — • 

 A small, medium-31'zed or even tall tree, often gnarled. (A " Red Ironbark " or " Mugga.") 



Bark. — Blackish, deeply furrowed and rugged, usually pulverulent in texture, interspersed with 

 blackish kino grains, the general appearance reminding one of a burnt gi'easy cake, hence the name 

 "Fat-ctke Ironbark." Sapwood externally of a yellowish colour. 



Juvenile leaves. — Narrow-linear to narrow- oblong, stalked, glaucous, 



