50 
Affinity. Perhaps the species most likely to be confused with the present 
one is A. buxifolia A. Cunn. Plate 105 of this work can be studied in this 
connection. It will there be seen that A. brachybotrya is separated from A. buxifolia 
by the slender axillary pedunculate flower heads, sometimes in pairs, which are all 
in racemes in the former species, young branches and peduncles distinctly pubescent 
in the former species almost invariably. The calyces of the two species sharply 
separate them. 
Botanical Name. Acacia, already explained (see Part XV, p. 104) ; 
brachybotrya, from two Greek words brach(u)ys short, and botrys, Latin, racemus 
(raceme) presumably because the pedicels do not exceed (are not longer than) the 
phyllodes. It is not especially descriptive. 
Vernacular Name. Called "Blue Bush" from the bluish cast of the 
foliage owing to its glaucousness or pubescence. Often the tips of the young leaves 
are quite silvery (bluish) in appearance. 
'Aboriginal Name. Dr. C. Sutton quotes " Burupga " as that of the 
Hindmarsh (Victoria) natives. I have heard a similar name quoted for the variety 
argyrophylla, which has not yet been recorded for Victoria, although I should not 
express surprise if it were found within the limits of that State. 
Synonyms. These are given under the heading of Varieties. 
Leaves. I would again draw attention to the golden (less frequently 
silvery) pubescence of the young foliage, which is most marked in the variety 
argyrophylla. Eaten by sheep. 
Fruit. The seeds are not always arranged in an oblique manner in the 
pod ; sometimes they are longitudinal. 
Bark. Two samples of this bark from the variety argyrophylla were 
forwarded to the Technological Museum by Mr. A. L. Thrupp, Balhannah, S.A., 
with the intimation that it is used in the adulteration of Golden Wattle bark 
(Acacia pycnantha} in South Australia. 
The bark had been chopped, and from its general appearance it certainly 
would be somewhat difficult to detect when mixed with some samples of Acacia 
pycnantha bark. With the better samples of Acacia pycnantha the detection of 
admixture should not be difficult. 
The barks are thin, inclined to be scaly, are somewhat fibrous, and of a 
reddish colour. They were stripped and analysed August, 1890, one with the result 
of 21-1 per cent, tannic acid, and 47'3 per cent, extract ; the other gave 18 per cent. 
tannic acid, and 46'15 per cent, extract. 
The first specimen came from Hammond, S.A. ; the exact locality of the 
other was unknown. 
