(Sieb., in DC. Prod, iii, 28, Mem. Myrt., t. 8.)

Systematic. - A shrubby species with linear-lanceolate, shining leaves, of a leathery texture and the veins scarcely visible, but upon removing the cuticle the exposed venation resembles that of the group to which E. Smithii (R.T.B.) belongs. Peduncles short axillary, with five to eight rather small flowers in the umbel. Calyx small, under 2 lines in diameter, gradually tapering into a thick pedicel; operculum hemispherical, shortly acuminate.

Fruit. - Oblong, shining, contracted at the thin rim; capsule sunk; valves not exserted; under 6 lines long.

Great care is required not to confound these with those of E. obtusiflora and E. apiculata.

Habitat. - Blue Mountains and Clyde District, New South Wales.

REMARKS. - This species occurs on the Blue Mountains, forming low scrub along with E. obtusifiord, The thick narrow leaves with their almost invisible veins, the smaller fruit, differently shaped buds, and the valuable oil obtainable from the leaves distinguish it from that species. It is probably the E. dumosa, A. Cunn., of the Blue Mountains, mentioned by Bentham, Fl. Aust. ii, p. 230, as that species does not occur in the Coastal Ranges of N.S.W. The "Mallee" at Berrima coal-mine, morphologically similar to E. stricta, Sieb., differs from the Blue Mountain E. stricta, in the chemical constituents of its oil, and the venation of the leaves, and is here regarded as a separate species, under the name of E. apiculala, R.T.B. & H.G.S.

ESSENTIAL OIL. - Leaves and terminal branchlets for distillation were obtained from Wentworth, N.S.W., in May, 1899. The yield of oil was 0.5 per cent. The crude oil was reddish-brown in colour, and had the characteristic odour of those belonging to the cineol-pinene class. It was rich in cineol, contained a small quantity of pinene, but phellandrene was absent. Crystallised eudesmol was detected at the time of distillation. Ninety-one per cent. of the oil distilled below 1830 C, so that constituents of high boiling point were only present in small quantity, and the esters were also small in amount.

The crude oil had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.9246; rotation aD - 0.35°; refractive index at 200 = 1.4654, and was soluble in 1 1/4 volumes 70 per cent. alcohol. The saponification number for the esters and free acid was 2.5.

On rectification 3 per cent. distilled below 1720 C. (corr.). This portion contained rather a large amount of volatile aldehydes. Between 172-1830, 88 per cent. distilled, and between 183-200°, 4 per cent. distilled.

The large fraction had specific gravity at 150 C. = 0.9213; and rotation aD- 1.1°.

The cineol, determined by the phosphoric acid method in the large fraction, was 64 per cent., indicating about 58 per cent. in the crude oil (O.M.).

The lævo-rotation was due to the presence of aromadrendral. The reason the large fraction shows a higher rotation to the left than does the crude oil is due to the influence of the dextro-rotatory eudesmol.

This species produces an excellent cineol-pinene oil, and it is unfortunate the yield is so low.

This sample of oil had been stored in the dark, and in October, 1919, was again analysed. Not much alteration was observed except that the oil had become a little richer in cineol, and had become inactive. 92 per cent, distilled below 1900 C. The crude oil and the rectified portion gave the following results: -

The cineol was determined by the resorcmol method in the large traction, and calculated for the crude oil; the result was 80 per cent. By the rapid phosphoric acid method it was 66 per cent, when calculated for the crude oil.