(Endl., in Hueg. Enum., 49, 1837.)

Systematic. - A tree sometimes reaching a height of 120 feet, but often found flowering when quite small. Abnormal leaves broad, ovate, cordate, somewhat acute. Normal leaves broad to narrow-lanceolate, usually under 6 inches long, acuminate, sometimes falcate, older leaves shining and coriaceous; venation not prominent in the older leaves, intramarginal vein removed from the edge, lateral veins fine, distant, spreading, usually at an angle of 300 to the midrib. Peduncles axillary or lateral, flattened, recurved, up to 12 lines long, with umbels of from three to six flowers. Buds on thick pedicels, 2 to 3 lines long; calyx tube somewhat bell-shaped, 3 lines in length and half as long as the blunt sub-cylindrical operculum.

* Eucalyptus oils, especially in relation to their bactericidal power.

Fruit. Inclined to bell-shaped, but somewhat conical, slightly ribbed, length of pedicel variable; rim inclined to flat or only slightly convex; valves acuminate, recurved, well exserted; often 6 lines long and 5 lines in diameter.

The fruits are fairly characteristic and not easily confounded with those of any other species.

Habitat. - South west of Western Australia.

114 Eucalyptus occidentalism 180

REMARKS. - A species easily determined in the field and herbarium. In the young or early [trees the bark is inclined to be smoothish, when it is collected and placed on the market as "Mallet bark." In the case of the more mature trees the bark becomes rough and is not collected for tanning purposes, the percentage of tannin of course being less owing to the outer corky ridges, in which case there seems no roason why "rossed" bark should not be used for tanning.

ESSENTIAL OIL. - Material for distillation was forwarded from Western Australia in June, 1904. It was collected at Narrogin, on the Great Southern Railway, and consisted of leaves and terminal branchlets collected as for commercial distillation. The yield of oil was 0.95 per cent. The crude oil was reddish in colour and had an odour resembling the cineol-pinene oils generally, with a secondary one indicating aromadendral. Pinene was found in some quantity, and it belonged principally to the dextro-rotatory form; phellandrene was absent. More than a third of the oil consisted of cineol, and a large amount of the sesquiterpene was also present. The higher boiling constituents were in such quantity that only 75 per cent, of the oil distilled below 1830. The esters were small in amount, and the volatile aldehydes not at all pronounced. The presence of aromadendral, together with other characters, suggest that the species approaches somewhat closely the group of typical "Boxes," such as E. hemiphloia, etc.

The oil of this species has no special properties, and at present has little value for commercial purposes.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.9135; rotation aD + 9.0°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4717, and was soluble in 1 volume 80 per cent. alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 2.5.

On rectification, 1 per cent, distilled below 1650 C. (corr.). Between 165-172°, 44 per cent, distilled; between 172-183°, 30 per cent, came over; between 183-228°, 10 per cent, distilled, and between 228-264°, 10 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following results: -

First traction, sp. gr. at 15o C.

=

0.8981;

rotation aD

+

17.7 .

Second

"

"

"

=

0.9134;

"

+

8.2°.

Third

"

"

"

=

0.9329;

"

-

3.2°.

Fourth

"

"

"

=

0.0415;

"

not taken.

The lævo-rotation shown by the third fraction, was due to the aromadendral.

The cineol was determined by the phosphoric acid method; the result was 36 per cent. (O.M.)

The results obtained with the oil of this species were published by us in the Pharmaceutical Journal, London, September, 1905.