270 



DESCRIPTION. 



ILL E. Bosistoana F.v.M. 



(See Part XI, and Plate 49.) 



In " Research on the Eucalypts," 2nd ed., p. 167, 1920, Messrs. Baker and Smith con- 

 stitute a new species, E. Nepeanensis. This is, however, E. Bosistoana F.v.M., and 

 what has quite excusably misled the authors is the broad juvenile or intermediate 

 leaf with fruit, but we now know many species which flower in the juvenile stage. (The 

 large intermediate leaf of E. Nepeanensis, fig. 1c, Plate 234, corresponds to fig. 4a of 

 Plate 49 quoted above). 



We have precisely the same thing in a specimen of E. Bosistoafia from Metung, 

 Victoria (J. H. Maiden, July, 1908), with broad leaves and fruit in situ. 



This is an example of Diels's Law, and not merely of precocious flowering. I 

 have cited some similar instances to that of E. Nepeanensis in Part XLIX, p. 275, i.e., 

 where, after an injury, a new branchlet may develop, with juvenile leaves, inflorescence, 

 and even fruit, often in the head of the tree, surrounded by normal mature leaves. At 

 this place some of the instances quoted are examples of Nanism, but at this Part, p. 303, 

 under the special heading of " Diels's Law," I will clearly state the situation, which I 

 have imperfectly done at Part XLIX, pp. 273, 274. I will also point out that illustra- 

 tions of Diels's Law give us the opportunity of examining juvenile leaves (for purposes 

 of classification or otherwise), when juvenile leaves in the ordinary place are unavailable. 



I have referred to E. Nepeanensis as a synonym of E. Bosistoana at Part XLIX, 

 p. 275, and at p. 277 I raised the question that E. prcecox might be a similar case of 

 representing a juvenile form of some existing species. I find this is not the case, as 

 there are in the National Herbarium abundant specimens to show that the juvenile 

 leaves are normal in that species. 



Following is the original description of E. Nepeanensis, Baker and Smith, 

 " Research on the Eucalypts," 2nd ed., p. 167 (1920) :— - 



" A medium-sized tree, with ' Box ' bark on the lower portions of the stem. Leaves lanceolate, but 

 very variable in size, from broad lanceolate (2 inches broad and over 6 inches in length) to narrow 

 lanceolate (2 lines broad and over 6 inches long), ovate, acuminate, under 4 inches long, dull or slightly 

 shining, uniform green on both sides; venation distinct, lateral veins oblique, intramarginal vein removed 

 from the edge, and especially so in the case of the broad lanceolate and ovate forms of the leaves. 

 Peduncles axillary, 4 to 5 lines long, with six or more flowers in the umbel. Buds about 6 lines long, angular 

 in the early stages. Calyx 1J- lines in diameter at the time of flowering, hemispherical; operculum 

 hemispherical, acuminate, 1J lines long. Fruit hemispherical to pyriform, rim flat or slightly countersunk; 

 valves not exserted; under 3 lines in diameter." 



