156 
Botanical Name. Geijera, in honour of J. D. Geijor (according to Bailey), 
whether a German or Austrian I cannot trace. He may not have been a botanist. 
Salicifolia, from the Latin salix, salicis, a willow, and folium, a leaf, with a leaf like a 
willow. 
Vernacular Names." Balsam of Copaiba " tree is a name given because 
of the taste of the bark. The first printed use of the name is in the Catalogue of the 
Northern Timbers, N.S.W., London Exhib., 1862. 
" Lignum Vitae," of Rudder, " because it breaks axes." This axe-breaking 
capacity is referred to in the name " Ironwood," being one of several timbers which 
bear such a designation. The name " Black Teak " has been given to it, but I do not 
know to what extent that name is in use. 
v Aboriginal Name. ' Koko " of some Queensland aborigines. 
Synonym. G. latifolia Lindl. in Mitchell's Tropical Australia, 236 (1848). 
It was collected at Balmy Creek, lat. 24 15', long. 147 20', and is referred to as a forest 
tree with broad, lance-shaped leaves. " This appears to differ from G. salicifolia in 
its long-stalked leaves." It seems impossible to separate it from the usual form, which 
is fairly uniform. 
Leaves. For some remarks on the leaves, see under " Variety," above, p. 155. 
Flowers. Small and white, borne in great profusion. 
Fruits. Small and green, with black seeds. 
Bark. The box-like, dark bark contains a bitter principle, and has the odour 
reminiscent of the drug from which it obtains one of its vernacular names. Dr. Thomas 
Bancroft, of Brisbane, informs me that it is physiologically inert, or practically so. 
Mr. Charles Moore, in the Catalogue of Northern N.S.W. Timbers, at the London 
Exhibition of 1862, said, " Ink of good quality has been made from the bark of this 
tree," by which he meant, I presume, that it is astringent. 
Timber. Wood close, tough, firm, pale yellow when fresh, light brown in colour 
when old, and nicely marked. (Mr. Baker has a coloured plate, No. 5, illustrating it 
in his " Hardwoods of Australia," and recommends it for veneers.) It has no dark 
heart-wood. It polishes fairly well, but is apt to split, and is somewhat difficult to 
dress down to an absolutely even surface. It is rather heavy. Mr. Augustus Rudder 
informs me that it is so hard that it breaks axes. It breaks with a long, tough fibre. 
A slab of this wood in the Technological Museum, which was seasoned over twenty-five 
years (having been exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862), had a 
weight, determined by me in 1887, which corresponds to 59 Ib. 5 oz. per cubic foot. 
