132 
No. 102. 
Eucalyptus capitellata, Sm. 
The Brown Stringybark. 
(Family MYRTACE^E.) 
Botanical description.— Genus, Eucalyptus. (See Part II, p. 33.) 
Botanical description.— Species, E. capitellata, Sm. 
A tree of medium size, often, in exposed situations, e.g., near the coast, dwarfed and gnarled. 
Juvenile foliage. —The margins undulate, and with a reddish rim when fresh. The leaves 
roughish, particularly on the lower side, owing to the presence of stellate hairs, which are 
also on the edges of the leaves and on the twigs. 
In the intermediate stage they are Eugenia- like and shining on both sides, only very 
slightly darker on the upper side. 
In this stage I am unable to separate the leaves from those of undoubted E. macrorrhyncha ; 
but when growing in exposed marine situations they take on a form which I now proceed to 
describe, and which I believe to be quite characteristic of the species. 
Thick in texture, nearly orbicular, almost sessile, with a cordate base. Emarginate, 
or with a slight apex or none; margin sinuate or slightly crenate, besprinkled copiously 
with stellate hairs on the under side, the twig abundantly so; shining on the upper side. 
The intermediate leaves scarcely change in shape, but are very coriaceous and shining 
on both sides. 
Mature leaves. —They are very coriaceous, even when grown at a considerable distance from 
the sea. The leaves usually larger and coarser than those of two other Stringybarks 
(E. macrorrhyncha and E. eugenioides ) ever are, and often very oblique, but not always so. 
The foliage may be described as “ coarse ” in its typical form. 
Shining; equally green on both sides ; venation spreading. 
Buds. —The buds and peduncles are generally somewhat thick and angular or flattened, and 
contrast with the neatness of shape of those of E. eugenioides and E. macrorrhyncha. 
Commonly found with a double operculum. 
Flowers. —The filaments of the anthers sometimes dry dark. 
Fruits.— In consequence of the fruits being sessile, or nearly so, and crowded into heads, these 
assume a polygonal shape at the base, as if they had been pressed together when in a plastic 
condition. With this exception, the fruits have the form of a very much compressed 
spheroid, the horizontal diameter of which is from one-and-a-half times to twice the depth 
The fruit is swollen out below the rim, which is sometimes very well defined, and of a red or 
brown colour. The fruit is sometimes truncate, but more frequently the rim is dome-shaped. 
There is great variability in the amount of exsertion of the valves. The fruit may be 
perfectly ripe without exserted valves, but a twig from the same tree may have them 
exserted. 
