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GROUP III. E. SIDEROXYLON. E. SMITHII. 
> , •' . „ 
For us in New Zealand this ironbark is especially valuable because of its 
capacity to accept a wide range of our climatic conditions. Competent experiment 
may or may not in future extend the profitable range of other members of the 
ironbark group beyond the limits at present understood to be imposed upon them. 
E. sideroccylon has already flourished and grown to a useful size not only in the 
Auckland area, but as far inland as Piako and Cambridge and as far south as the 
Hastings district in Hawke’s Bay. With this and many other eucalypts we need 
competent help in Australia to ensure that the seed we use shall he derived from 
the largest and hardiest parent stocks. 
E. sideroccylon produces a large percentage of trees that bear pink to deep 
crimson flowers. Such trees in parks or large gardens make exceedingly 
ornamental specimens, and will be increasingly appreciated as they become better 
known. 
The specific name sideroccylon is from the Greek sideros iron and ocylon wood. 
It thus literally means ‘‘iron wood”. 
43. E. SMITHII R. T. Baker. 
NATURAL HABITAT, DESCRIPTION, AND USES. 
This is one of the numerous species that have only within recent years become 
known to science. Its native home is in damp valleys of northern Victoria an 
the southern half of New South Wales. In the latter State it is fairly abundant 
and highly valued for its essential oil. The tree is of medium dimensions, 
branchy and spreading in open situations; tall with straight, clean hole when 
growing amongst other trees. Dead bark persistent on lower part of stem and 
sometimes all up the stem, sub-fibrous, ultimately thick and dark m colour. 
Juvenile leaves sessile, lance-shaped, acute-pointed; those of adult tree narrow, 
falcate, of same green on both surfaces, rich in essential oil of very pleasant odour. 
Umbel usually 7-flowered; lid of bud short with blunt-pointed apex; anthers 
kidney-shaped with divergent connected openings. Ripe seed-cup about /4in. in 
diameter; valves when open claw-like and protruding. Mature wood brown or 
grey, hard, strong, and of fair durability. In both stages of its foliage E Smithn 
is closely similar to E. viminalis; but it differs from that species in having a 
seven-flowered umbel and in the odour of its essential oil. 
CULTIVATION IN NEW ZEALAND. 
E. Smithii has been successfully cultivated on the Auckland Isthmus; as at 
:he site of the old Three Kings College, and at “Ngaruru”, St. Andrew s Road 
Epsom, (Sir James Gunson). The species would probably flourish in sheltered 
lowland valleys all round the North Island. Seed should be obtained through 
the Forest Service of New South Wales. 
The specific name was given in honour of H. G. Smith, who worked so long 
with R. T. Baker in the Technological Museum, Sydney. 
