351 



DESCRIPTION. 



CCC XXXIX. E. melanoxylon n.sp. 



Following is the description : — 



Arbor niedioeris erecta, cortice aspero 10 vel 15', ramis laevibus, ligno aterrimo, aliquando tarn 

 nigro quani gagate ; foliis primariis glaucis crassiusculis, petiolatis, ovatis, venis leniter distinctis ; 

 foliis rnaturis saturate-viridibus utrinqne nitentibus, circiter 7 cm. longis et 1 era. latis, venis obscuris, 

 venis lateralibus angulum circiter 30-40° costa media facientibus ; inflorescentia axillari, umbellis in 

 pedunculis longis applanatis ad 11 longiusculos pedicellos gerentibus alabastris ovoideis, operculis et 

 calycix tubo herni-ovoideis ; filamentis flaviusculis, stigma capitata; fructibus parvis, circiter 7 mm. 

 diametro. conoideo-hemisphericis, valvarum verticibus distincte exsertis. 



A tree attaining a height of 60 feet and 3 feet in diameter at 4 ft. 3 in. from the ground. It has 

 a rough bark for 10-15 feet up the bole, furrowed, almost like an Ironbark. The limbs are clean and 

 whitish. The inner bark is of a light yellow colour. The wood is very dark to the heart and in some 

 cases jet black. Branchlets angular. 



(The above notes are mainly furnished by Mr. Forester W. M. Cusack to the Acting Conservator 

 of Forests. .Mr. S. L. Kessell. Tested by Dauthenay's " Rep. de Couleurs," the bark is reddish-black 

 (tints. Plate 344. figs. 1 and 2). The wood is warm sepia (Plate 305, fig. 1).) 



Juvenile leaves. — Glaucous, rather thick, petiolate, ovate, acuminate (but perhaps not seen 

 in the earliest stage), (about 4 cm. broad by 7 cm. long), venation moderately conspicuous, intramarginal 

 vein distantly removed from the edge, secondary veins somewhat spreading, and making an angle of 

 30-40° with the midrib. 



Mature leaves sap green, shining on both sides, moderately thick, petiolate, narrow-lanceolate 

 (about 7 cm. long and 1 cm. broad), venation indistinct, intramarginal vein not far removed from the 

 edge, lateral veins somewhat spreading, and making an angle of about 30-40° with the midrib. 



Inflorescence axillary, the umbels on long narrow, flattened peduncles, which support up to 

 eleven rather long pedicels. The buds are shining, ovoid to clavate, with the opercula sometimes 

 conoid and hemispherical, but usually semi-ovoid, of about the same size and shape as the calyx-tube, 

 which is markedly separated from the pedicel. The anthers are large, white, opening in parallel slits- 

 Large gland at the back. The pale yellow filaments attached half-way down or lower, according to the 

 size of the gland. Stigma capitate. 



Fruits small, about 7 mm. in greatest diameter, conoid-hemispherical, the tips of the capsular 

 valves markedly exsert. 



Type, Westonia, J. M. Cusack. 



RANGE. 



It is confined to Western Australia, so far as we know at present. 



Westonia, 6 miles north of Carrabin, a railway station 195 miles east of Perth. 



What appears to be this species, but with larger fruits (and fruits only) was 

 collected at Bullabulling, 44 miles west of Kalgoorlie, by W. V. Fitzgerald in November, 

 1903, and by Dr. F. Stoward in March, 1917. 

 C 



