206 



DESCRIPTION. 



CXCIV. E. Spenceriana Maiden. 



In Ewarfc and Davies' Flora of the Northern Territory, 1917. p. 307. 



Arbor 50' attincns, trunco 2-3' diametro. Cortex rugosa, in lamellis socodens, non crassa. Lignum 

 rubrobrunncum. Folia immatura tenuiuscula, pallida, late lanceolata, apicibus obtusa, 14 cm. longa. 

 Venae secondariae tenues, numerosae, fere parallelae, angulum 60° cum costa media formantos. Folia 

 matura immaturibus similia sed minora. Ramuli gracilis, subteretos. Flores umbellis gracilibus, 

 tonuibusque, paniculati. Umbollae ad 7 flores, pedunculis podicellisque longis filo similibus. Alabastra 

 parva, clavata, opercula acuminata. Antherae poris dchisccntes (I'orantherae). Fructus margino tenue et 

 chartacea, ovoidei, circiter 6 mm. longi, valvarum apicibus distincte sub orificio depressis. 



A tree of moderate height, attaining at least 50 feet, and a trunk diameter of 2 to 3 foot. Bark more 

 or less rugged and flaky, particularly near the butt, such flakes being lenticular, thin and dry, and externally 

 whitish to grey and even black. This rough bark extends to a variable extent over the trunk and larger 

 branches. Bark not thick. Timber dark reddish-brown, interlocked, with a relatively thin, palo 

 sap-wood. 



Juvenile leaves. — I'alo-eolourod, equally green on both sides, broadly lanceolate, rather blunt at 

 the apex, say 14 cm. long, with 6 cm. in greatest width, not thick, gradually tapering into a petiole of 2-2-5 

 cm. Midrib prominent, the secondary veins very fine and numerous, roughly parallel and meeting the 

 midrib at an angle of 60 degrees. Intramarginal vein not far removed from the edge. 



Mature leaves. — Thin, graceful foliage, very similar to the juvenile leaves, but smaller, and the 

 intramarginal vein closer to the odge. Branchlots thin and almost terete. 



Flowers. — In graceful, slender umbels, arranged in a paniculate manner, and not exceeding the 

 leaves. Umbels with up to seven flowers, peduncles and pedicels long, terete, and almost thread-like. 

 Buds small (about 5 mm. long), clavate, the calyx-tube gradually tapering into the slender pedicel. The 

 operculum shorter than the calyx-tube and tapering to a fine point. Anthers with glands at top, filaments 

 at base, and opening in pores (Porantherae). 



Fruits. — Rim thin, frail, the whole fruit of papery texture and readily crushed by the fingers, ovoid, 

 about 6 mm. long, tho tips of the valves distinctly sunk below the orifice. 



Type. — Burrundie. Northern Territory, 5th November, 1915 (Dr. H. I. Jensen). 



In honour of Sir \Y. Baldwin Spencer, K.C.M.G., who on his scientific expedition from Port Darwin 

 to the Roper River in July-August, 1911, and again in the following year, at my request brought excellent 

 flowering material of the species. 



At a risk of slight duplication, it may be well to draw attention to the fact that 

 this species has fruits of papery texture, like E. clavigera and other members of the 

 Angophoroidea?. while it has anthers in pores ; showing divergence from the E. danger a, 

 series. 



