166 



Varieties. 



There are two fairly well marked varieties : — 



1. Var. longieomis, F.v.M. 



2. Var. glauea, Maiden. 



1. Var. loilgicorilis, F.v.M. " A Morrel." " Poot." 



This form was described by Mueller in Fragm. xi, 14, and raised by him (with doubt) to the rank 

 of a species under the name of E. longieomis in his " Report on the Forest Resources of Western 

 Australia," p. 12, and fig. 13. 



He says: "It agrees with the York Eucalypt (E. lo.copheba or fcecun a 'a) in its bark." At p. 7 of 

 the same work he describes the bark of the York Eucalypt as " persistent and rough." Of course, the 

 latter is a well-known species. 



Variety longieomis is a glabrous form, and, in my view, it is identical with a tree called " Poot." 



My attention was first directed to "Poot" by Mr. Andrew Murphy, of Sydney, whose collector 

 (Mr. Louis Dillon) senthim some seed from Broome Hill. This was in 1905, and I have never lost sight of 

 the matter since. It was described as a tree 3 feet in diameter, the timber used for wheelwrights' work, 

 and it does not split well. In my trip to Western Australia in 1909 I visited Broome Hill specially to 

 see this tree. Following are some notes made by me on the spot : — 



Grows on good land ; on the best land. A large tree. Dark grey, narrow furrowed or hard " box " 

 bark, covering the whole of the trunk up to the first fork and the larger branches. It looks like a black- 

 barked tree. 



The smaller branches slightly ribbony and smooth. It is erect and attains a large size, up to 6 feet 

 diameter. Timber reddish. Good burner. 



A good many people look upon Poot as identical with Morrel. (See below, p. 176.) At the same 

 time opinion is divided on this subject in Western Australia. I had not the opportunity of seeing Poot 

 and Morrel alongside each other, and of cross-examining people on the spot as to their supposed identity. 



The Morrel, as I saw it, has a smoother and more flaky bark, and is less erect in habit than Poot. 

 It is a glaucous Gold-fields tree mainly, and I believe both var. longieomis and var. glauea run into each 

 other, and both to some extent bear the same name (" Morrel "). 



Mr. William Dunn, of the Porongorups, informs me that Poot occurs north of Stirling Range, on the 

 Salt River, and extensively in the direction of York. That it is a very hard timber, harder even than 

 Yate (E. comuta), which is usually quoted as the standard of great hardness. 



Mr. Van Zoolikum, of Katanning, informed me that " Parker Gum," found in the York district, 

 is identical with Poot, and that it was named after a Mr Parker, forbear of some respected legal gentlemen 

 in Perth. I have not seen indubitable specimens of " Parker Gum," but would like to do so. 



Mr. H. F. Johnston, Surveyor-General, Perth, is one of those who are of opinion that Poot "is a 

 Morrel." 



Mr. Johnston states there are two Morrels, the ordinary one and a second, with no trace of red in 

 the timber, but with timber somewhat like York Gum, which he calls Yorrel. Probably we have an 

 instance of hybridism here, but I have not seen the specimens. 



I have opened out a very interesting subject, and should very much like to obtain small axe-cuts, 

 showing bark and wood, and also twigs showing buds, flowers and fruits, and also juvenile leaves, of each 

 of the trees referred to, in order that the various points raised may be cleared up.— (Maiden, in Journ. 

 W.A. Nat. Hist. Soc, iii, 170, 1911.) 



The matter is further dealt with under " Affinities," p. 176. 



Following is a note by Mueller : — 

 E. longieomis, F.v.M., the Morrell tree, is perhaps a mere variety of E. oleosa. The wood is nearly 

 as dark as that of E. marginata ; it is remarkably hard, and used for rafters, shafts, naves, spokes, harrows, 

 and all kinds of wheelwrights' work. Straight and lasting rails up to twenty-five feet in length can be 

 obtained from young trees. — (Mueller, Forest Eesources of Western Australia.) 



The above use of the term "Morrel" for variety longieomis, as well as for 

 variety glauea, points to the close relations of the two forms. 



