(R.T.B.. Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., 1900, p. 1 3, t. XV.) White Top Messmate.

Systematic. - A tall tree, with a roughish bark, similar to E. amygdalina, Labill., the extremities of the branches being smooth. Abnormal leaves alternate or opposite, with a short petiole, or sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, under 6 inches long, 1 1/2 inch broad; lateral veins diverging from below the middle of the mid-rib, prominent on both sides, intramarginal vein removed from the edge. Normal leaves narrow, lanceolate, about 6 inches long, and 6 to 9 lines wide, shining on both sides, a dull green when fresh, but drying a light-slate colour, petiole short; lateral veins few, and almost parallel to the mid-rib, two generally commencing at the base of the mid-rib, and running the whole length of the leaf, and almost parallel to the mid-rib. Peduncles axillary, short, 2 to 3 lines long, bearing generally from five to eight flowers; buds from 2 1/2 to 4 lines long; operculum hemispherical, shortly acuminate.

Fruit. - Shortly pedicellate, hemispherical to pyri-form, shining; rim thick, red, slightly convex; about 3 to 5 lines in diameter, and 3 to 5 lines in length.

The hemispherical form much resembles E. dives, but is larger, and the pyriform shape is like E. coriacea.

Habitat. - Crookwell, Moss Vale, mountains north of Marulan, Bungendore, and Delegate, New South Wales; Victoria.

REMARKS. - This tree is also known locally as "Silver-top Messmate," "Peppermint," and "Messmate"; bat in connection with this species it is not proposed to perpetuate the two latter vernacular names, which should be. we think, restricted to E. dives, Schau., and E. phellandra, respectively. It is called "Silver-top" from the glinting of the shining leaves in the sunlight, which causes them to appear silvery. For a similar reason E. lævopinea, R.T.B., is called "Silver-top Stringybark." In the South it is known as "Bastard Messmate" This tree has been confounded with E. coriacea, A. Cunn., when determined on herbarium material alone. In the field, however, its willowy appearance differentiates it from E. coriacea. This tree has either a roughish "Messmate" or smooth bark, and always clean or white limbs, and a leaf venation similar to that of E. coriacea, and more particularly perhaps that of E. stellulala, Sieb. The term "White-top" is, no doubt, used to distinguish it from the "Messmate," E. phellandra. not that the leaves are white, but only, as stated above, appear so from the reflected light of the sun from the glossy surface of the leaves, and from which feature it takes its specific name.

ESSENTIAL OIL. - Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were obtained from Crookwell, N.S.W., in June, 1900. The yield of oil was 1.5 per cent. The crude oil was almost colourless, and had a somewhat pleasant peppermint odour, although the ketone piperitone does not occur in great amount. Phellandrene was present in quantity, but pinene almost absent. Cineol was detected to the extent of about 20 to 25 per cent. in the crude oil. The third fraction contained the sesquiterpene. A constituent having a strong lemon odour was also present; this was probably citral, as the aldehyde reaction was obtained, but it was not in sufficient quantity to separate.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 15° C. = 0.886; rotation aD - 30.1°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4771, and was soluble in 1 volume 80 per cent. alcohol The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 5.4.

On rectification, 2 per cent. distilled below 1730 C. (corr.). Between 173-183°, 76 per cent. distilled; between 183-224°, 14 per cent, came over, and between 224-270°, 4 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following results: -

The cineol, determined by the phosphoric acid method in the first fraction, was 26 per cent. (O.M.), indicating about 20 per cent. in the crude oil. When determined nineteen years later by the rapid phosphoric acid method, the result was 22 per cent, in the crude oil, this having been stored in the dark during that time.