196 



DESCRIPTION. 



CCLXIX. E. Cambageana Maiden. 



In Joum. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., xlvii, 91 (1913). 



Arbor alta Blackbutt vocata, ramis longis pendulisque. Trunci, cortice cinerea et squamosa alti- 

 tudini 3-4 pedes, a caule lseve et albo ramisque distincte disjuncta. Lignum rubrum. Folia juvenia 15 cm. 

 longa, 2-5 cm. lata, pallido-virentia utrinque, concoloria, ovata vel pyriforma, vena peripherica patente et 

 a margine distincte remota. Umbellas 3-8 in capite, paniculas plerumque terminales formantes. Alabastri 

 clavati. Operculum ovoideum et calycis tubo circiter dimidio superante. Fructus parvi, conoidei, 

 diametro circiter 7 mm. orificio. 



" The young trees grow tall and fairly straight, but with age they become pipy and eventually 

 simply a shell. Very liable to be attacked by white ants." (Miss Zara Clark.) 



" The trees range from 50-80 feet high, having long pendulous branches. 



" They have scaly bark permanent up to 3-4 feet from the ground; this is hard and of an ironbark 

 nature, jet black in colour, the remainder of the stem being millcy- white, approaching bluish- white 

 (glaucous) ; it is clear of any sign of ribbony bark beyond the butt. There is a distinct line of demarcation 

 between the rough black and the white clean stem. 



" The sapwood is exceptionally thin, the heart wood deep red or chocolate in colour, hard, heavy, 

 long and tough in the grain, much resembling that of the Red Box (polyanlhemoe) of New South Wales. 



" It is the most important timber in the Emerald district for all purposes, being sound, and yielding 

 long, clean stems of many feet in length, hence exceptionally suitable for milling purposes." (J. L. 

 Boorman.) 



Local name, " Blackbutt." Type from Mirtna Station, Charters Towers, Queensland (Miss Zara 

 Clark, January and December, 1912.) 



Juvenile leaves. — Pale-coloured, equally green on both sides, rhomboid-ovate to pyriform and 

 broadly lanceolate, petiolate, apex blunt, venation prominent, marginal vein at a considerable distance 

 from the edge, the lateral veins spreading. Oil dots not obvious. Average size say 9 to 12 cm. by 5 or 6 

 broad. 



Mature leaves. — Lanceolate, slightly curved, petiolate, thickish, shiny, pale-coloured, equally 

 green on both sides, venation prominent, the intramarginal vein distinctly removed from the edge, the 

 lateral veins spreading. Average length of mature leaves 15 by 2-5 cm. 



Flowers. — Umbels 3 to 8 in the head, forming usually terminal panicles, buds clavate, the calyx- 

 tube forming a defined raised border at its junction with the operculum, the calyx-tube tapering gradually 

 into the pedicel, the operculum ovoid and about half the length of the calyx-tube. 



Anthers belonging to the Porantheree, pores small, opening at the side, the filament always at the 

 base, and the small gland always at the top. 



Fruits. — Small, conoid, the calyx-tube tapering with but slight abruptness into the pedicel ; when 

 young, with a well-defined grooved rim, which almost disappears on ripening, leaving a dark brown rim, 

 tips of the valves sunk or rarely flush with the orifice. Size about 7 mm. diameter at the orifice and length 

 the same. 



