105 



NOTES ON SUPPOSED HYBRIDS. 



Are E. Bourlieri, E. unialata and E. antipolitensis conspecific ? 



For a description of E. Bourlieri and E. antipolitensis see this work Part LII, 

 and for E. unialata see Part LI. 



In Proc. Roy. Soc, Tas., 1918, p. 89, I stated that I looked upon E. antipolitensis 

 as being conspecific with E. unialata Baker and Smith, and I expressed the opinion 

 that they both originally arose from a cross or crosses between E globulous and viminalis, 

 but whether they were really identical I preferred to suspend judgment. However, 

 after again examining the evidence, I now think they are distinct and should be kept 

 apart as hybrid species until we know more about them. 



As regards E. Bourlieri, Dr. Trabut states that it appeared in a sowing of E. 

 globulus (probably mixed seed, J.H.M.) at La Reghaia. Dr. Trabut does not state 

 where the seed was obtained, but it is reasonable to suppose that it was of Tasmanian 

 origin, as the species described as E. unialata Baker and Smith is very closely related to 

 it. 



E. Bourlieri was described in 1903, vide Part LII p. 75 ; E. unialata in 1912; and 

 E. antipolitensis in 1917. 



There are two more or less distinct forms of E. unialata in Tasmania, and E. 

 Bourlieri comes very close to one form, and E. antipolitensis to the other. At the 

 same time, neither E. Bourlieri nor E. antipolitensis agree entirely with E. unialata. 

 All three species seem to be forms of one common species. Whether they are descendants 

 of E. globulus it is difficult to say with any degree of certainty ; but at all events there 

 does appear to be some justification for assuming that E. globulus is one of the parents, 

 and it is reasonable to suppose that E. viminalis is the other, as both species are sometimes 

 associated in the field. 



The juvenile leaves of E. Bourlieri, E. antipolitensis and E. unialata are somewhat 

 alike, but on the whole they are smaller, thinner and less glaucous than the juvenile 

 leaves of E. globulus, and are not unlike some broad forms of E. viminalis. 



The mature leaves are practically the same in the three species, and they are 

 relatively smaller than those of E. globulus, and about the same size as the coarse form 

 of E. viminalis. 



The buds of E. Bourlieri are turbinate, on a very narrow base, while the operuclum 

 is conical and rather long, nearly as long as the calyx-tube. They do not appear to 

 differ very much from those of E. antipolitensis, but, on the other hand, the fruits are 

 more turbinate and resemble one form of E. unialata found in Tasmania. The buds 

 of the type of E. unialata are scarcely turbinate ; they are, according to the figure, 

 closely sessile with a broad base, and have a very short operculum, shorter than the 

 calyx-tube. 



