(H.D. & J.H.M., Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., 1898, p. 413, t. XIX.) White Ash.

Systematic. - A tall tree, bark rough half-way up the trunk, and sometimes the upper part, outer layer falling off in ribbons, the bark blotched. Abnormal leaves alternate, varying from bluntly lanceolate to almost linear-lanceolate, slightly falcate. Normal leaves lanceolate, often falcate, acuminate, sub-coriaceous, averaging 3 inches in length; intramarginal vein somewhat removed from the edge, lateral veins oblique. Buds ovoid when young; as growth proceeds the operculum is more or less pointed at the top, and thus assuming a somewhat conical shape; up to seven or eight flowers in the umbel, peduncles flattened.

Fruit. - Shining, nearly globular, urceolate in young fruit, the neck being almost lost in the mature fruit; rim sharp; valves usually five and very depressed; usually 5 lines in diameter, or a little less.

Care is required not to confound the fruits with those of E. stricta and E. obtusiflora or even E. maculata.

Habitat. - Mountains in the Clyde district, Tantawanglo, Milton,

138 Eucalyptus fraxinoides 210

REMARKS. - -The affinity of this species in the herbarium is closest with E. obtusiflora and E. stricta. It differs conspicuously from these in being a large tree. Morphology is of little or no assistance in determining this for the dried material is almost identical with those species, but the two are mallees and the other a tree.

It is a suitable tree for temperate climates. The fruits are sometimes not very dissimilar in shape to those of E.

maculata.

ESSENTIAL OIL. - Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were obtained from Monga, N.S.W., in August, 1898. The yield of oil was 0.98 per cent. The crude oil was but slightly coloured, resembling in this respect those of E. dives, E. radiata, etc. The oil consisted largely of phellandrene, and pinene was present in small amount. Cineol occurs, but not more than 5 or 10 per cent, in the crude oil. Crystallised eudesmol was detected, and the third fraction contained it in some quantity. The peppermint constituent was also present. The esters were not pronounced.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.8687; rotation aD - 27.5°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4851, and was insoluble in 10 volumes 80 per cent. alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 3.7.

On rectification, 1 per cent, distilled below 1720 C. (corr.). Between 1720-1830, 79 per cent, distilled; between 183-2240, 12 per cent, distilled, and between 224-2780, 5 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following results: -

First fraction, sp. gr. at 150 C.

=

0.8590;

rotation aD

-

31.6°.

Second

"

"

"

=

0.8725;

" aD

-

26.0°.

Third

"

"

"

=

0.0188;

"

not taken.

The third fraction also contained a constituent which had a strong lemon odour, and as an aldehyde was present, it is probable that citral occurs in small amount in the oil of this Eucalypt.

The above sample of oil had been stored in the dark, and in September, 1919, was again analysed. The specific gravity had increased a little, and the optical activity diminished also. This appears to be due to the alteration in the phellandrene. Perhaps the cineol had also increased a little, but altogether not much alteration had taken place during the twenty-one years the oil had been kept. 81 per cent, distilled below 100° C.

The crude oil had sp. gr. at 15o C.

=

0.8862; rotation aD - 15.7o; refractive index at 200 = 1.4871.

The rectified portion

"

=

0.8655; rotation aD - 26.1°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4811.

The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in the rectified portion; when calculated for the crude oil the result was 17 per cent. As piperitone was present, a ketone determination was made in the rectified portion, with the result that 6 per cent, was absorbed. Thus about 12 per cent, of cineol was present in the oil of this species,