(F.v.M., in Trans. Vict. Inst., i., 35, and"Eucalyptographia," Dec, iii, partim.)

A Mallee.

Systematic. - A shrub or small tree with a smooth bark, having several stems from the same root. Leaves lanceolate, generally with a recurved point, under 5 inches long, and 1/4 inch wide, thick or coriaceous, drying a light yellowish colour, shining on both sides; venation quite hidden or only traced with difficulty. Peduncles short (3 lines long), flattened, axillary, with not more than half a dozen flowers in the umbel. Calyx tube under 2 lines long, tapering into a short pedicel, angular, 1 line in diameter; operculum hemispherical, shortly acuminate.

Fruit. - On slender pedicels, oblong, cylindrical to pyriform; rim not thick, countersunk; valves not exserted; from 2 to 3 lines long, under 2 lines in diameter.

In size and shape they closely resemble E. polybractea and E. viridis, but are of a yellow tint and not green as obtains in those species.

Habitat. - Districts of the Darling and Murray Rivers, and as far east as Gunbar, New South Wales; South Australia; Victoria; Queensland.

REMARKS.- - The description given above refers to the "Mallee" occurring in the districts of the Murray and Darling Rivers. A species is figured by Mueller in his "Eucalyptographia" under the above specific name, but in the same plate he gives another figure, which is either E. viridis, R.T.B., or a narrow leaf form of E. Woollsiana, R.T.B. Mr. Maiden synonymises it under E. calycogona, var. gracilis Cr. Rev. vol. i, p. 79), but later loc. cit. (vol. iv, p. 262), restores it to specific rank.

ESSENTIAL OIL. - Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were obtained from Gunbar, N.S.W., in December, 1900. The yield of oil was 0.9 per cent. The crude oil was amber-coloured, and had an odour resembling those in which aromadendral is a pronounced constituent. Pinene was present, and this terpene appears to be dextro-rotatory; phellandrene could not be detected. Cineol was present in small amount; it was determined quantitatively in the second fraction. Aromadendral was present in some quantity in the higher boiling portion, and the occurrence of this aldehyde was also indicated by the rotation figures. Esters were not pronounced, but volatile aldehydes were present in some quantity.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.9098; rotation aD + 1.35°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4714, and was soluble in 1 volume 80 per cent. alcohol. 'The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 6.2.

On rectification, 2 per cent, distilled below 1620 C. (corr.). Between 162-1720, 35 per cent. distilled; between 172-204°, 52 per cent, came over, and between 204-2350, 6 per cent, distilled. These fractions gave the following results: -

The cineol, determined dv the phosphoric acid method in the second fraction, gave a result indicating about 19 per cent, of that constituent in the crude oil (O.M.)

This sample of oil had been stored in the dark, and in August, 1919, was again analysed. From the results now obtained, nineteen years after the oil was distilled, it is evident that little alteration had taken place during all that time, and the constants of specific gravity and optical rotation were practically the same. No deposit had formed in this oil, nor does it occur in any oil belonging to this group. Perhaps the cineol had increased a little in amount. The crude oil and the redistilled portion gave the following results. 86 per cent, distilled below 190° C.: -

The cineol was determined by the resorcinol method in the rectified portion and calculated for the crude oil; the result was 47 per cent.

A cineol determination by the phosphoric acid method in the rectified portion gave 35 per cent., representing about 30 per cent. in the crude oil.