102 



" White Ironbark " or " Ironbark Box." " Seems to be between E. albens 

 and E. sideroxylon!' Grenfell, also Grenfell Eoad from Cowra, and 17 miles east of 

 Parkes (R. H. Cambage, 1900). 



" Black Box." " Fine large trees, sparsely scattered amongst the Ironbark 

 (E. sideroxylon) and Box (E. hemiphloia, var. albens) of the district. Bark rough, 

 slightly suberous, sapwood thin, with dark hard centre, fine timber for most purposes, 

 being exceptionally tough and heavy." Lue, Mudgee Line (J. L. Boorman). 



Inverell District (Forest Guard Gordon Burrow), who writes as follows : — 



I am forwarding specimens of bark, wood, twig with buds, and fruit of a tree growing on Forest 

 Reserve 26,227, Parish Cameron, County of Hardinge. 



I only know of a few of these trees in this district ; they seem to be a hybrid between White Box 

 (E. hemiphloia var. albens), and Red Ironbark (E. sideroxylon). This specimen shows more of the Box 

 than some. 



The wood is very hard, and when cut up cannot be distinguished from Ironbark. 



There is a rough bark outside the ordinary bark, about 10 to 15 feet up the trunk, which looks like 

 an Ironbark, only much lighter in colour; above that, the ordinary or inner bark looks like Box bark. 

 This tree, like Ironbark, exudes at times a large quantity of kino. 



The leaves are more like those of the Ironbark in the locality than those of the Box, though the 

 buds are smaller. 



Box in the locality has long finished flowering, but Ironbark, like this hybrid, though long in bud, 

 has not flowered, owing, as I believe, to the late frosts. 



I could only secure two very imperfect specimens of fruits. 



The wood is a dark red (gets paler on drying. — J.H. M.) almost to the outer edge, particularly 

 towards the butt, where there is only about an inch of white or light sapwood. 



The local name is generally "Bastard Ironbark." I have also heard it called " Bibble," and more 

 rarely "Ironbark Box." (14th July, 1906.) 



I have also a specimen from Wallangarra (J. L. Boorman), whicli is imperfect, 

 and is probably this species. The tree should be further sought for. 



AFFINITIES. 



1. With E. leptophleba, F.v.M. 



In the original description Messrs. Deane and Maiden say : — 



The species appears to possess resemblances to the imperfectly-known Ironbark E. drepanophylla, 

 F.v.M. The fruits of the latter are, however, sub-cylindrical, the orifice not constricted, the rim different, 

 and the valves slightly exserted when the capsule is perfectly ripe ; the leaves are narrower, and the veins 

 finer and more parallel. Further observations on this head may be deferred until E. drepanophylla is 

 more perfectly known. 



We know more of E. drepanophylla now. It is a synonym of E. leptophleba, 

 F.v.M. See p. 332, Part X of this work, and p. 67, Part XII. The rim of the 

 fruit of E. leptophleba is different, while the huge juvenile leaves of that species 

 are different also. In spite of these differences, the two species are undoubtedly 

 related. 



