243 
E. ovalifolia R. T. Baker, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xxv, GSO (1900). 
This is " Red Box " and the habitat is given as Bathurst, B,ylstone, Camboon, 
Hargraves and Gerogery, but it is not stated where the type came from. 
It is " a medium sized tree with a smooth bark, decorticating at the base of 
trunk, producing a roughish appearance." ..." Growing in poor, sandy, rocky 
soil." . . . "In botanical sequence it is placed next to E.Daicsoni Baker." . . . 
" There is very little difference in the constituents of this oil and that of E. Fletcher i 
Baker (E.BauerianaSchzner), the ' Lignum-Vitae ' or 'Black Box' at St. Mary's, 
as they both contain the same constituents in practically the same amount." Mr. 
Baker speaks of " the typical E. polyanthemos of Victoria," but the type comes from 
Bathurst, N.S.W., as, indeed, so does one of the co-types of E. ovalifolia. I think 
that Mr. Baker's view that the bark of E. polyanthemos is typically Box-like and 
furrowed, like so much in north-eastern Victoria, colours his conception of 
E. polyanthemos. 
Mr. Cambage's paper in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xxix, 687, may here be 
referred to. He says " The Kyamba (towards Tumberumba) trees closely resemble 
the Bathurst Red Box which has been described by 11. T. Baker under the name 
ovalifolia." He also discusses the Victorian and Bathurst Bed Box. 
I do not see in what way E. ovalifolia differs from the typical E. polyanthemos 
from Bathurst. 
Later on we have E. ovalifolia var. lanceolata Baker and Smith, in " Research 
on the Eucalypts," page 124. See also R. T. Baker, in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 
xxviii, 355, where he says : " This tree very probably owes its differentiation to 
environment, for I have only found it in rich moist soil." 
I am of opinion that in this so-called variety we have some of the trees 
which (page 246) I have provisionally placed with E. Daicsoni or " Slaty Gum." 
At an earlier date, in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. W., xxi, 448, Mr. R. T. Baker 
has the following notes in regard to E. polyanthemos Schauer. He looked upon 
them as varieties then, but I do not lay any emphasis on the point. Porm (c) he 
afterwards described as E. Daicsoni; I mention this only in order that the context 
may be understood. 
(a) In the neighbourhood of Rylstone it goes by the name of " Red Box," and the timber is 
considered of no value whatever. The trees are of no great height, have a dirty scaly bark at the butt, 
but smooth otherwise, and are found on poor sandstone country. The leaves are uniformly oval, on fairly 
long petioles, veins oblique, marginal one removed from the edge, under 3 inches long, and glaucous on 
both sides ; flowers small ; in flower in December ; fruit turbinate under 2 lines in diameter. 
(6) At Camboon, 7 miles north of Rylstone, there is a variety with smooth bark, long lanceolate 
leaves green on both sides, the veins oblique ; the marginal one does to the edge ; the petiole long, some- 
times twisted ; flowers larger than in previous variety, outer stamens sterile ; fruits turbinate, 3 lines in 
diameter, rim thin and notched and similar to the coast E. pol yanlhema ; flowers in October, timber good. 
(c) On the eastern slope of the Dividing Range and extending to the Goulburn River there is, to 
me, the most important variety known as " Slaty Gum." The trees are large, with very straight barrels, 
and the timber is highly valued and considered equal to if not superior to Ironbark. The bark is smooth, 
with a silvery sheen. The leaves differ from those of the other two varieties in being much narrower and 
glaucous, the venation being the same as in the Camboon variety. The flowers are the smallest of the 
three varieties, the stamens are all fertile as in the first variety, the fruits glaucous, 1 line in diameter. 
