35 
No. 120. 
Eucalyptus piperita, Sm. 
The Sydney Peppermint. 
(Family M YRTACEAE.) 
Botanical description.— Genus, Eucalyptus. (See Part II, p. 33.) 
Botanical description. —Species, E. piperita, Sm. The species may be described 
as follows :— 
Vernacular Names. —Peppermint is its usual name about Port Jackson and in some other 
districts. It goes by the name of “ Messmate ” in some other parts of the State. It has 
been called “Almond-leaved Stringybark,” and sometimes “White Stringybark.’ Through 
confusion with E. pilularis (to which it is often not dissimilar in general appearance), it is 
sometimes known as “ Blackbutt,” but such names as Stringybark and Blackbutt, as applied 
to this species, should be discouraged. 
Bark. —Sub-fibrous on the trunk, with smooth branches. In mountainous districts it is often 
decidedly a ribbony gum. 
Timber. —Pale-coloured, with gum-veins; deficient in strength and durability, and only used in 
default of better timber. 
Seedling leaves. —The seedlings are cordate at the base ; stem clasping, blunt, or with a short, 
sharp apex. They are arranged decussately and horizontally; hardly glaucous ; paler on 
the underside. Venation well marked. They have a strong peppermint perfume. 
Mature leaves. —Very oblique, more or less falcate and acuminate. In the Flora Australiensis it 
is stated that the leaves are rarely above 1 inch long, but this appears to be a mere 
typographical error, as specimens with far longer leaves were examined by Bentham 
himself, and leaves even 5 or 6 inches long are common. The venation is oblique. 
Flowers. —Renantherous. The bud has a pointed operculum, and is often curved, often nearly 
falcate when unripe. Sometimes the operculum is markedly pale-coloured; this is 
accentuated in dried specimens. 
Fruit. —The fruits may be arranged under three forms, which pass into one another :— 
(a) Urceolate. 
( b) Egg-shaped. 
(c) Nearly spherical, open-mouthed. 
Botanical Name.— Eucalyptus, already explained (see Part II, p. 34); 
piperita, Latin, “peppered,” from the noun piper (pepper). It lias come to mean 
“ like peppermint,” i.e., having an odour of peppermint; but I am unaware that 
the word piperita is classical Latin. 
This is the species from which the first Eucalyptus oil was distilled by 
Mr. Denis Considen, Surgeon of the First Fleet. Mr. Considen used the oil for 
medicinal purposes, and sent some to England to Sir Joseph Banks. 
Vernacular Names.— See above. 
