55 
No. 126. 
Cryptocarya Meissneri F.v.M. 
(Family LAURACE^E.) 
Botanical description. —Genus, Cryptocarya. (See Part III, p. 72.) 
Botanical description. —Species, C. Meissneri , F.v.M , Fragm. v, 170 (1866). 
This is the description quoted by Bentliam ( B.Fl . v, 298) and by Mueller 
himself ( Second Census ). 
The words are simply “ Cryptocarya Meissneri (G'. hypoglauca var. attenuater, Meissn. in Cand. 
Prodr. xv, 508) obvenit ad flumina Hastings—et McLeay-River. Haec planta nervis venisque 
subtilioribus insignita est, quam ulla ordinis alia hie reperienda.” 
Later on it was described by Bentbam in the following way :— 
A small or large tree, quite glabrous in every part. 
Leaves elliptical or oblong-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, contracted into a short petiole, mostly 
about 2 inches and rarely above 3 inches long, rather thick, penniveined but the veins 
irregular, and even the primary ones not very prominent. 
Panicles short, axillary and terminal, the flowers not numerous, and quite glabrous outside. 
Perianth-tube narrow, at first turbinate, ovoid and contracted at the top when fully out and 
| line long, the lobes nearly as long, minutely hairy inside. 
Stamens much shorter than the perianth, the glands sessile, but as near to the outer as to the 
inner stamens. 
Ovary immersed in the perianth-tube. 
Fruit not seen. (B.Fl. v, 298.) 
Botanical Name. — Cryptocarya, already explained (see Part III, p. 73) ; 
Meissneri , after Karl Friedrich Meissner, who monographed the Lauraceao in Be 
Candolle’s Frodromus xv (1), and collaborated with him in other botanical work. 
Vernacular Name. —I know of none—except that of “ Leather-jacket,” 
which it shares with so many other trees as to rob it of any definiteness. 
Synonym. — C. hypoglauca , Meissn. var. attenuata, Meissner in DC. Prod, 
xv (1), 508. The type came from the Hastings River. 
Timber. —White, close-grained, and tough; probably a useful wood, and 
said to make good staves. We know but very little about it, and correspondence on 
the subject is invited. 
Size. —A tree of medium size, say up to 50 feet in height, with a trunk 
diameter of 2 or 3 feet. I have seen it of the above size on the Dorrigo. 
