34 



DESCRIPTION. 

 CCCXCIX. E. niphophila Maiden and Blakely, n.sp. 



Arbor parva alpina, vel arbustum, caulibus curvatus 3-20 pedes altis ; cortex glaber, albus ; ramuli 

 per-glauci; folia juvenilia opposita vel alternautia, sessilia vel breviter petiolata, ovata vel orbi- 

 cularia, pallide viridia, 2-3-4 x 1-5-2-5 cm. ; folia matura alternata, petiolata, lanceolata, acuminata 

 noanuquam uncinata, crassa, coriacea, nitentia, 3-8 x 1-7-2-5 cm. ; umbellae brevissimae, axillares, 3-7 

 floribus ; gemmae valde glaucae, sessiles, clavatae, acutae, rugosae, 5-7 x 5 mm. ; antherae renif ormes ; 

 capsulae globosae vel turbinatae, truncatae, valde glaucae, 7-10 x 9-11 mm. 



A small, crooked, alpine tree or mallee, with several whip-stick-like stems'springing from a large 

 woody rootstock, 3-20 feet high ; bark usually smooth and white. Branchlets, inflorescence, and fruit 

 very glaucous. 



Juvenile leaves not seen in a full} 7 developed state, the first two or three pairs opposite, sessile 

 to very shortly petiolate, ovate to orbicular, apiculate, light green, not glaucous, 2-3-4 cm. long, 1-5-2-5 

 cm. broad. Venation very fine, distinct on both sides, the lateral veins often branched, diverging at an' 

 angle of 30-40° with the midrib, the secondary veins very numerous and reticulate, the intramarginal 

 vein distant from the slightly revolute margin. Stems and internodes compressed reddish-brown, without 

 any trace of glaucousness, the internodes up to 8 cm. long. 



Intermediate leaves not seen. 



Mature leaves alternate, petiolate, lanceolate to lanceolate-falcate, somewhat aequilateral with 

 acuminate or uncinate points, thick, coriaceous, shining on both surfaces, 3-8 cm. long, 1-7-2-5'cm. broad. 

 Venation somewhat longitudinal, distinct or sometimes totally obscure owing to the thickness of the leaves, 

 the median nerve almost indistinguishable from the very fine lateral veins which sometimes extend the 

 whole length of the leaf, but which usually diverge at an angle of 5-15° with the midrib ; intramarginal 

 vein usually close to the thick nerve-like margin. Petioles compressed-terete, glandular-rugose, up to 

 15 mm. long. 



Inflorescence in short axillary umbels of 3-7 flowers. Peduncles rather thick, terete, usually 

 much shorter than the buds. Buds very glaucous, sessile to very shortly pedicellate, clavate, with a 

 somewhat acute, slightly rugose, operculum, 5-7 mm. long, 5 mm. in diameter. Calyx thick, broadly 

 funnel-shaped, rather shallow, longer than the operculum. Filaments white, filiform, numerous, inflected, 

 with perfect and rudimentary anthers. Anthers reniform, the broad, white, papery cells more or less 

 lateral and terminating in a small gland. Style slender ; stigma very small. 



Fruit globose to turbinate, truncate, sessile or shortly pedicellate, usually very glaucous like the 

 branchlets, glandular-rugose, the flat disc broad and thin, and usually partly concealing the very short 

 enclosed valves, 7-10 mm. long, 9-11 mm. in diameter, invariably three-celled. 



It is depicted in this work, Part V, Plate 26, fig. 6 (leaves and fruits), Plate 27, 

 fig. 3 (juvenile leaves). All from Mount Kosciusko. There are also photographs of 

 this species in " The Forest Flora of New South Wales," Part XV, Plate 58, facing pages 

 114 and 115, also a reproduction of fig. 6 above. 



SYNONYM. 



E. coriacea A. Cunn. var. alpina F.v.M. 



