75 
No. 12. 
Eucalyptus s align a, Sm. 
The N.S.W. Blue or Flooded Gum. 
(Natural Order MYRTACEAE.) 
Botanical description.— Genus, Eucalyptus , L’ Heritier (see p. 33, Part ii). 
Botanical description.— Species, E. saligna, Sm. 
Following is the original description :— 
Operculo conico acuto calyceque anguloso subancipiti, capitulis lateralibus solitariis, fructu 
turbinato, foliis lineari-lanceolatis. 
The leaves are narrower and less coriaceous than in most of the species. The little heads of 
flowers grow on shortish flower stalks, one from the bosom of each leaf. The flowers are 
smaller than in any of the others, their covers acute, the length of the calyx. Fruit turbinate 
with a slightly curved margin, and crowned with the pyramidal permanent base of the style. 
(Smith in Trans. Linn. Soc., Ill, 285, 1797.) 
Following is the description by Bentham, taken from his “ Flora Austra- 
liensis ” :— * 
A tall tree with a smooth silver-grey shining bark, shedding in thin longitudinal strips ( Beckler ). 
Leaves. —From ovate-lanceolate to long-lanceolate, but usually narrow, acuminate, 4 to 6 inches 
long, with very numerous, fine, close, transverse, parallel veins; the intramarginal one close 
to the edge. 
Peduncles. —Short, mostly flattened, each with 4 to 8 flowers. 
Calyx-tube. —Narrow-turbinate, 2 to nearly 3 lines long, sessile or tapering into a short, thick 
pedicel; the border of the calyx prominent in the bud, and the orifice usually expanding 
after flowering. 
Operculum. —Conical, about as long as the calyx-tube. 
Stamens. —Two to 3 lines long, inflected in the bud, anthers ovate, with distinct parallel cells. 
Ovary. —Conical in the centre. 
Fruit .—Subglobose-truncate, not contracted at the orifice ; the rim narrow, slightly raised above 
the calyx-border ; the capsule somewhat or scarcely sunk ; the valves more or less protruding. 
Botanical Name. —Eucalyptus (explained formerly); saligna , Latin, signify¬ 
ing pertaining to a willow, in allusion to the leaves and habit of the tree, hut the 
name is not a happy one, as the foliage is very seldom willow-like. 
Vernacular Names. —“ Sydney Blue Gum.” This timber requires some 
distinctive designation to prevent its confusion with the pale-coloured Blue Gum of 
A 
