127 
No. 172. 
Eucalyptus populifolia, Hook. 
The Bimble Box. 
(Family MYRTACE^E.) 
Botanical description. —Genus, Eucalyptus. (See Part II, p. 33.) 
Botanical description. —Species, E. populifolia , Hooker, in leones Plantarum, 
t. 879 (1852). 
Bentham, in B.F1. iii, 214, confused it with E. polyanthemos, Schauer. It 
mav be described in the following words :— 
A small to medium sized tree, often rather erect in habit, but with more or less pendulous 
branches. 
Bark subfibrous and somewhat matted (box-like) ; persistent on both trunk and branches ; 
the timber pale-brown when freshly cut, drying to a deeper (cigar) brown. 
Juvenile leaves very large, orbicular-ovate (say 5 inches in length by 4 inches in breadth), 
petiolate, thick, shining on both sides. 
Mature leaves orbicular-ovate, margins somewhat undulate, shining on both sides, commonly 2^ 
inches in length by inches in breadth, but varying to lanceolate, 5 or 6 inches in length, 
with a breadth of under 1 inch. Intra.narginal vein not close to the edge, venation spreading. 
blowers. —Umbels paniculate, flowers in each umbel from very few to numerous, all but sessile • 
buds ovoid, calyx-tube semi-ovate, operculum conoid to nearly hemispherical. 
Anthers small white, nearly globular, with nearly parallel slits not reaching to the base, and with 
a small gland at the top. 
Fruits small, semi-ovate, three to five celled, valves not exsert or rarely appearing above the rim. 
Botanical Name.— Eucalyptus, already explained (see Part II, p. 34); 
populifolia , front two Latin words, populus, poplar, and folia, leaves. 
Vernacular Name. —It is commonly known as Bimbil (derived from the 
aboriginal name) ; the spelling used to be Bembil; Bibble is a corruption of it. 
Sometimes the names “ Poplar-leaved Box,” “Glossy or Shiny-leaved Box” 
are used. It is also called “Round-leaved Box” and “White Box,” and Mr. 
R. H. Cambage quotes the name “ Minty Box ” as having been given to him west 
of Wyalong, but he did not see the trees. Perhaps some of nty readers might say 
if they have ever heard of the name as applied to this tree. 
Aboriginal Names. —“Bembil” is art aboriginal name Hum which the 
common vernacular name has sprung. 
