66 
Thereafter, for many years, this “ White Gum ” was confused with the New 
South Wales “ Ironhark.” For example, Bentham, in the Flora Australiensis 
(iii, 210), who is followed by Bailey, in the Queensland Flora. Then Mueller, in 
Euealiyptographia, continues to confuse the two trees. But in the field they could 
not be considered identical for an instant. Bentliam’s description of E. leucoxyloi 
applies very well to that of E. sideroxylon, but requires to be supplemented in the 
following points :— 
Juvenile leaves 
E. sideroxylon. 
E. leucoxylon. 
Linear-lanceolate or linear. 
Cordate or ovate-lanceolate, sessile. 
1 
Bark 
Black, furrowed and rugged (Iron- 
bark). 
Whitish or bluish, smooth (White or Blue 
Gum). 
Timber 
Deep red. 
Pale brown or white (hence the name leuco 
xylon). 
Varieties.—In B.F1. iii, 210, Bentham has a variety minor (of E. leucoxylori). 
Flowers rather smaller and often more numerous at the ends of the branches. This variety seems 
almost to pass into melliodora .—Parramatta (W. Woolls). 
I have seen the original and it is E. sideroxylon, with rather smaller flowers 
than the type. But inasmuch as the species varies much in the size of the flowers, 
some being even smaller than those of the so-called variety minor , it seems a pity 
to perpetuate it. The specimen is also called “ variety rnbriflora ” on the label, but 
since the colour of the flowers of many individual trees of this species varies from 
vear to vear, this name is unfortunate also. 
Variety pallens, Benth., of leucoxylon (B.Fh, iii. 210). 
Leaves not so coriaceous and whitish. 
This form is really an Ironhark, and therefore a variety of sideroxylon. For 
example, “Mountain Ironhark,” Upper Hunter (11. Deane); also head of Gwydir 
(Leichhardt). Sometimes this variety pallens has been labelled “ E. paniculata 
variety.” 
The following may be classed with the same variety, but they are too 
coriaceous to be typical •—“ Silver-leaved Ironhark,” New England (W. Woolls); 
“leaves very broadly lanceolate, whitish,” Murrumbo (K. T. Baker). Tbe collection 
of fruits of these may, however, show that these specimens really belong to E. 
siderophloia, Benth., var : glauca, Deane and Maiden. 
Botanical Name.— Eucalyptus already explained (Part ii, p. -‘>4); sider¬ 
oxylon, from two Greek words— sidei'os (iron), xylon (wood)—in allusion to tbe 
hardness of the timber. It is an Ironhark, and the timber of the one now under 
review is one of the softest of the Ironbarks. 
