1. HISTORICAL. 



1869-71. Mueller appears to have been the first to describe Eucalyptus seedlings. 

 In his Fragmenta, vii, 42, he describes those of thirty-five species on the following 

 plan : — 



" Eucalyptus amygdalina. Caulix scabridus, teretiusculus, folia opposita, demum 

 sparsa, lanceolato-linearia, sessilia, mox apice acutata, basi cordata." He does not 

 mention the cotyledons in so many words, though in some cases it is evident that he 

 includes a description of them. 



His cautious opening and closing statements are to the following effect : — 



(a) Eucalyptus plants raised from the seed in the first year of life often show 

 particular diversities not only in species but in varieties. 



(6) These brief notes concerning plants raised from seeds in a garden which are 

 easily confused, and in nature difficultly matched with the maternal branch, need 

 confirmation. 



1891. Howitt. {Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., ii, 92) says (of Gippsland eucalypts) 

 (p. 92) : ; ' Having now referred to the various types of the Stringybark groups, it is 

 convenient to mention the distinctions between their seedlings and saplings." (I will 

 only take extracts concerning seedlings at present, as his remarks re what he calls 

 " saplings " I will refer to under Intermediate Leaves.) 



p. 92. ' ; The seedlings of E. piperita, E. eiigenioides, and E. capitellata are beset on stems and leaf- 

 stalks with numerous tufts of hairs, which also line the edges of the leaves. The leaves themselves are more 

 or less hairy, except in that form of E. capitellata growing in the mountains, as at Osier's Creek, where 

 they are smooth (I have Howitt 's original specimens, and have referred them to E. Baxteri). 



The seedling leaves of E. piperita, E. eugenioides, and E. capitellata are at first ovate and opposed; 

 but in the former I have often observed them to be ovate-pointed, or even lanceolar and smaller than those 

 of E. capitellata, which are always ovate. In none of the species are the leaves shiny." 



"In E. macrorrhyncha the seedlings are also more or less beset with tufts of hairs (p. 93), giving the 

 stem a rough appearance, but in a less degree than the lastnamed species. The leaves, at first opposed, 

 are lanceolar in form and slightly shiny." 



" The seedlings of E. Muelleriana are as characteristic as those of any other species known to me. 

 The stem and stalklets are slightly tufted with hairs, or are even smooth, the leaves rather long, lanceolar, 

 pointed and opposed throughout, even in seedlings of a foot or more in height, while their extremely shiny 

 upper surface distinguishes this form from all other species of this group, being more marked even than 

 in E. obliqua, from which the persistent opposition of the leaves readily distinguishes it." 



p. 9.°). " The seedlings of E. obliqua are usually free from hairs, but are very commonly warty, and 

 the leaves are lanceolar, shining on one side, and thinner in texture than those of E. macrorrhyncha. They 

 become scattered somewhat sooner than those of E. macrorrhyncha, and very much sooner than those of 

 E. Muelleriana, and soon show the marked unequalsidedness which is so characteristic of this tree," 



