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GROUP IV. E. OVATA. 
54. E. OVATA Labillardiere. 
NATURAL HABITAT, DESCRIPTION, AND USES. 
As now broadly defined by J. H. Maiden under Labillardibre’s name, the 
species here described includes Hooker's E. acervula of Tasmania and R. T. 
Baker’s E. paludosa of the mainland. Baker’s E. camphora is also doubtfully 
regarded as a variety. As seen on poorer land in Tasmania E. ovata is sometimes 
a small tree or mere shrub; but mingled with other trees where the land is good 
and moisture abundant it grows to a moderately large size and yields long clean 
boles 2ft. or more in diameter for the sawmills. On the mainland it is indigenous 
to the southern and south-eastern uplands, and is there a tree of medium size with 
tendency to spreading habit of branches. 
The species has been planted in a great many localities in New Zealand. 
Through confusion of botanical names twenty-five to thirty years ago, it was 
often planted as E. Gunnii or as E. Stuartiana. This confusion has ceased; but 
unfortunately we are too generally left in doubt whether the seed from which our 
trees have been propagated was collected in Tasmania or in Australia. Rightly or 
wrongly, we are inclined to give Tasmania credit for the parentage of our most 
satisfactory specimens and plantations. 
Our best trees are of erect habit, and have grown in twenty-five years to total 
heights of 70ft. to 90ft., with diameters of 1ft. 6in. to 2ft., the boles being 
straight and shaft-like. The dead bark persists on the lower part of the stem 
and there becomes scaly and rough but not stringy; from the upper stem and 
branches it comes off in flakes or long ribbons, leaving a surface that is 
greenish-grey in colour. The leaves of young seedlings may at first be sessile 
and opposite, but in all cases they soon become stalked, and thence through the 
juvenile and sapling stages are very generally oval in shape and more or less 
wavy at the margins. On the adult tree they are narrower and longer. 
It was, we may be sure, the conspicuously oval shape of the leaves on 
younger trees that suggested the specific name ovata. The leaves are 
pendent and of about the same deep green on the two surfaces. The umbel 
bears normally seven flowers but may have less or more; stalk %in. to 14in. long, 
stalklets Vs in. or less; lid of bud domed, conical, or pointed; anthers with 
longitudinal and nearly parallel openings. The ripe seed-cup is about Min. deep 
by 5/IGin. in width at the rim. It is especially remarkable for its rapid taper 
from the rim to the stalklet, and is further distinguished by a slight groove and 
flange just below the rim. A whipping-top or cone standing on its apex will 
serve for illustration of the shape. The valves when open slightly protrude 
beyond the rim. If trees are found bearing seed-cups with rising rims and 
strongly protruding valves, there will be reason to suspect that they have been 
grown from seed collected on the mainland, not in Tasmania. 
The mature wood of the Tasmanian E. ovata is described as pale in colour, 
interlocked in texture, tough to split, very liable to warp when sawn up into 
boards and scantling, but of high merit and great durability after it has been 
carefully seasoned. When in Tasmania in 1921 the writer was told that all the 
E ovata product of one mill was being sent to a factory m Melbourne lor 
carriage construction works. New Zealand will need increasing quantities of 
