65 



description;* 



CDXVII. E. nigra R. T. Baker. 



Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xxv, p. 689 (1900) with Plate XLVI, fig. 3. 



A tall tree with a black stringy bark. 



Leaves lanceolate, scarcely falcate, occasionally oblique, mostly under 4 inches long, and under. 

 1 inch wide, of a dull green colour; venation only faintly marked on the upper surface, but very distinct 

 on the lower; lateral veins oblique, distant; intramarginal vein removed from the edge. 



Peduncles axillary, short, under 4 lines, bearing a cluster of from 8-12 small flowers. Calyx 

 hemispherical, under 2 lines in diameter, on a short pedicel. Operculum hemispherical, acuminate, 

 about H lines long when mature. Ovary flat-topped. Anthers very small, parallel, filaments very 

 slender. Fruits about 4 lines in diameter, hemispherical to pilular, rim variable, thin or truncate, and 

 even domed occasionally; valves slightly exserted. 



Habitat.— Richmond River district (W. Bauerlen) ; . Cook's River, Sydney (H. G. Smith). 

 From E. Willinsoniana Baker and E. macrorrliyncha F.v.M. it differs in fruits, timber and chemical 

 constituents of the oil. From the Stringybark, E. umbra Baker, of this paper it differs in the shape of 

 the sucker leaves and chemical constituents of the oil, although the immature fruits of these species are 

 somewhat similar. 



E. eugenioides Sieb. and E. capilellata Sm. approach each other very closely in morphological 

 characters, and there often seems to be a gradation between the two, but, nevertheless, the two species 

 are quite distinct; and so in this, although there also appears some similarity in the fruits of this 

 species and E. eugenioides, yet the two differ in too many characters to be the same species. 



The sucker leaves are not unlike those of E. capitellata, whilst the buds are similar to those of 

 E. eugenioides. The fruits approach somewhat in shape those of the latter species, with which it has 

 probably been confounded in the past when determined on dried specimens. If it were not for the distinctive 

 character of the timber and oil, I should certainly have made it a variety of E. eugenioides, but the former 

 product is of too poor a character to be associated with so excellent a timber as that yielded by White 

 Stringybark, E. eugenioides. The oil also differentiates it entirely from that species. 



On the sum of the above differences it was decided to give the tree specific rank, and botanically 

 it is placed next to E. dextropinea Baker (E. Muelleriana Howitt), from which it differs in the shape of the 

 fruits, bark, leaves and chemical constitutents. From E. Iwvopinea Baker it differs in the shape of the 

 fruits, quality of timber and constituents of the oil. 



Timber. — Of a dark-brown colour (hence the specific name), much affected with borers and not 

 valued for durability by timber-getters and others interested in the trade. 



Oil. — Yield very small, only 3i oz. from 534 lb. of leaves, in fact, too small to make a fractional 

 distillation. It has thus the smallest yield of the Stringybarks next to E. capitellata (H. G. Smith). 



Illustrations. —It is figured in Part VIII, Plate 38, under E. Muelleriana Howitt, 

 and allies, and the following figures are referable to it :— 



Fig. 13, Fruits, Harding's Mill, near Glen Innes, New South Wales (H. Deane). 

 Fig. 14a, Buds; 14b, and 14c, fruits, all obtained from the same tree, Kanimbla 

 Valley, Lowther-road, New South "Wales (A. H. S. Lucas and J.H.M.). 



Fig. 15a, Buds; 156, fruits of the type of E. nigra Baker, Woodburn, Kichmond 

 River (W. Bauerlen). 



In " Research on Eucalyptus " Mr. Baker depicts two fruits on p. 53, with the 

 following comment :- ' The fruits are very much like those of E. eugenioides." 



