48 
GROUP III. E. LAEVOPINEA. 
surfaces. Umbel with several flowers; stalk and staMets various; lid of bud 
conical, sometimes acute; anthers small with lateral pore- .1 e °P®“ S ’ L 
seed-cup 5/16in. deep by 3/16in. to Min. in width; valves wholly below the rim. 
closely similar species bearing smaller fruits and called E. microcar pa is found in 
the same general habitat, but extending farther south. A kindred species wi 
habitat on the western slopes of the Dividing Range and southward therefrom h 
glaucous buds and foliage, and is called E. albens. Its fruits are larger and moie 
urn-shaped than those ot E. hemiphloia. 
The mature wood of all these trees is pale in colour, hard, strong, and 
reputed to be very durable. But reports are conflicting, and there seems to be no 
escape from the inference that the timber varies a great deal m quality. ihere 
is pressing need for research on the relative and absolute merits ot the three 
species. 
CULTIVATION IN NEW ZEALAND. 
Specimens of a small-fruited form understood to be E. microcar pa, sown in 
situ at “Trecarne”, Cambridge, in forty years reached heights of 80ft. to 100ft. 
and diameters up to 1ft. 6in., with large percentage of mature wood. Specimens 
with large fruits like those described for E. albens, planted many years ago on 
the Auckland Isthmus, still remain small and hopelessly slow in growth. Many 
growers in New Zealand have made experiments with seed impoited undei the 
name of E. hemiphloia; but, so far as the writer is aware, results have been 
almost uniformly disappointing. The plants have started well but have not 
attained a profitable or promising size. The Cambridge example is the only one 
in which any member of the E. hemiphloia group has given satisfaction in this 
country. The fault of the whole business may be that we have been breeding 
from wrongly selected parent trees. All members of the group might be worth 
growing if we could obtain seed from largest and strongest trees where climatic 
conditions are most like what we can offer in selected areas of the North Island. 
The Cambridge trees were grown from seed imported as “grey box” without any 
botanical name, and we have no knowledge of its source beyond the fact that it 
came from Sydney. 
31. E. LAEVOPINEA R. T. Baker. 
NATURAL HABITAT, DESCRIPTION, AND USES. 
This species is reported to be at its best on basaltic ridges in the Rylstone 
district about 150 miles north-west from Sydney, with a considerable range 
extending from that centre. The tree at its optimum grows to a moderately large 
size, and usually presents a long straight hole free from side branches. Dead bark 
fibrous but brittle, persistent all up the stem. Juvenile leaves early stalked, 
broad at base; adult tree leaves unbalanced, dark green and very shiny on both 
surfaces. Lid of bud short and small; anthers kidney-shaped with divergent 
openings. Ripe seed-cup up to %in. deep and nearly %in. wide, rim domed with 
groove below; open valves protruding. Mature wood pale, tough, strong, very 
durable in trying situations as when used for posts and wire poles. E. laevopinea 
belongs to the “stringybark” group, and in quality of timber is said to rank with 
E. eugenioides and E. Muelleriana. 
