(R.T.B., Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., 1901, p. 682, t. XIV.) Lignum-vitæ or Box.

Systematic - A medium-sized tree, with a "Box" bark on the trunk; branches smooth, branchlets glaucous. Leaves from orbicular to ovate-acuminate in shape, sometimes oblique, cuneate or rounded at the base, from 1 to 3 or 4 inches in width, thin, not shining; venation faintly marked, lateral veins oblique, spreading, intramarginal vein removed from the edge, but more pronounced at the base, giving a trinerved appearance to the leaf. Flowers numerous in axillary or terminal panicles. Peduncles short, 2 to 3 lines long. Buds about 5 lines long; calyx tube conical, with scarcely any pedicel; operculum hemispherical, very shortly acuminate or obtuse.

Fruit. - Conical, tapering to a short pedicel; rim very thin and countersunk, mostly in mature fruits with a notch; valves inserted; about 4 lines long, and 3 lines broad.

The fruits of E. conica are almost identical in shape with these.

Habitat. - South Creek, St. Mary's (N. V. Fletcher); banks of the Nepean River; Thirlmere, New South Wales; Gippsland Lakes Entrance, Heyfield, and Bruthca, Victoria.

REMARKS. A tree as far as at present known restricted in its geographical distribution to the watershed of the Nepean River of New Smith Wales, and Gippsland, Victoria. The late Dr. Woolls was very probably the first to collected material of this tree for botanical determination and to forward it to Mueller under the local name of Lignum-vitæ("Eucalyptographia," Dec., iii). This latter author, working on morphological grounds, confounded it with the "Red Box" E. polyanthemos, Schau The dried specimens of the two species are very much alike in the shape of the leaves and fruits, but the trees differ considerably in other characters. For instance, the "Red Box" has a persistent "Box" back right out to the branchelts dark-red timber, and leaves larger than those of this species. This tree has thick, rough, flaky bark. The two timbers alone are sufficient to differentiate the trees, and the essential oils possess quit distinct chemical constituents. This is another example showing how necessary it is that held and other observations are required in order to determine are correctly the specifc rank of Eucalypte.

This species generally occurs on the banks of risers and creeks. It differs from E. polvanatthemos in the colour of the timbers. Maiden (Crit. Rev. Euc. vol. ii, p. 120), places this species under E Baueriana, winch was founded on an imperfect description and specimen "in plump bud and an expanded flower" surely worthless data upon which to perpetuate a systematic name. E. Baucriana is a tropical

ESSENTIAL OIL.--Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were obtained from Thirlmere, N.S.W., in July, 1900. The yield of oil was 0.3 per cent. The colour of the oil was orange-brown, and the odour somewhat rank. The oil contained a good quantity of phellandrene; and pinene was present in small amount; cineol was detected, but only about 5 to 10 per cent. in the crude oil at time of distillation. Aromadendral was also detected. The sesquiterpene was present in some quantity, but esters were not pronounced.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.8805; rotation aD - 12.5°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4824, and was insoluble in 10 volumes 80 per cent, alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 3.3.

On rectification, 2 per cent. distilled below 1720 C. (corr.). Between 172-183°, 48 per cent. distilled; between 183-255°, 22 per cent. came over, and between 255-276°, 16 per cent. distilled. These fractions gave the following results: -

The lævo-rotation was largely due to the phellandrene. As only 1 per cent, distilled between 200-255° C., the aldehyde aromadendral could only be present in small amount.

Leaves from this species were also obtained from St. Mary's, N.S.W., in November, 1900. The oil differed but little from the Thirlmere sample; it contained similar constituents, and the several fractions were lævo-rotatory to about the same extent, but the aldehyde aromadendral was present in rather larger amount. The specific gravity of the crude oil was 0.895. The cineol present was about the same as in the previous sample; the saponification number for the esters and free acid was 3.5. The crude oil formed a clear solution with 2 volumes 80 per cent. alcohol.

The above samples were mixed together and stored in the dark, and in August, 1919, the oil was again analysed. Not much alteration had taken place during the nineteen years the oil had been kept, except that the rotation had fallen a little, and the specific gravity increased to a small extent. These alterations are what might be expected with Eucalvptus oils in which phellandrene occurs.

The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in the rectified portion; when calculated for the crude oil the result was 17 per cent. The indication with phosphoric acid was for about 10 per cent. of that constituent.