151 



5. With E. platypus Hook. 

 Bentham (B Fl. iii, 195) contrasts them in the following way :— 



platypus. 



occidentalis. 



Leaves mostly orbicular. 



Peduncles very flat, broad, and often long. 



Flowers and fruit nearly sessile. 



Ovary and capsule with a conical top, rim of the 



fruit scarcely prominent. 

 Valves acuminate, usually prominent. 

 Fruit obovoid-truncate. 



Leaves of E. cornuta. 



Peduncles flattened. 



Flowers and fruit distinctly pedicellate. 



Ovary and capsule convex or conical at the top. 



Valves acuminate, protruding when open. 

 Fruit urceolate. 



Following are Mueller's views : — 



" The differences by which this species (platypus) is separated from E. occidentalis. consist again 

 in the broadness of the leaves and very angular fruit calyces, further in the absence of well-developed stalklets 

 of the flowers, larger and particularly wider fruits on still longer and broader stalks." ' (" Eucalypto- 

 graphia," under E. obcordata.) 



And again : — 



" E. obcordata (platypus) is distinguished from E. occidentalis by its roundish, somewhat crenulated 

 leaves, by the still broader and often longer general flower-stalks, also by the absence of stalklets, by the 

 angular calyx-tube, the often dark-red filaments (only in variety nutans, J.H.M.), and fruits with deltoid 

 often short-accuminated valves." (" Eucalyptographia," under E. occidentalis.) 



E. platypus is a dense Mallee-like scrub, while E. occidentalis consists usually 

 of distinct trees, although there is a scrub form in the case of that species also, the 

 bark of the former is smooth (principally in the case of one variety), while that of the 

 latter is sometimes smooth, sometimes rough. It is only proper to say that we are 

 imperfectly informed at present as to the variation of bark in E . occidentalis. Of the 

 few Eucalyptus barks valuable to tanning, E. occidentalis var. astringens takes the first 

 rank, while Dr. Stoward informed me that the bark of E. platypus is also valuable. 



Speaking generally, E. platypus differs from E. occidentalis in the small ovate leaves, 

 in the very broad, flat peduncle, in the shorter operculum, and in the sessile, winged 

 fruits. 



It is the variety eremophila of occidentalis that comes closest to E. platypus. If 

 the drawings on Plates 145 and 146 (Part XXXV) be studied and compared with those 

 of E. occidentalis on Plates 148 and 149, it will be observed that — 



(a) In E. platypus the peduncle is long and broad, the pedicels are absent, and the 

 calyx-tubes are more or less ribbed and notably of greater diameter than 

 the operculum. The fruit is obovoid truncate. 



(&) In E. occidentalis and most of its varieties, the peduncle is long, but not broad 

 and sometimes quite narrow, the pedicels are always present, and the calyx- 

 tube tapers gradually into the operculum. The fruit is campanulate. 



