A Classification of the Eucalypts

For more than twenty years we have felt the need to systematise the improvements in knowledge and understanding of EuaaZyptus.Our association in this work had its genesis by a camp-fire in the Mallee of north-western Victoria in 1954.Resting after a day's fieldwork on eucalypts, we agreed to join forces and work towards the goal of a critically assessed and interpreted new classification.Since then many other workers have contributed, knowingly or unknowingly.Some have been our direct collaborators, others have worked independently or even in apparent competition, but all relevant findings and interpretations have been grist to the mill.Fruition in the present form has perhaps been unconscionably slow in coming, but this is in fact not unfortunate, since some highly significant results, of our own and of others, are very recent.We have thus been able to improve the scheme and to make certain statements with a confidence impossible even two years ago.Some features of our nomenclature are rather radical though in our view constructive and desirable, as is the newly devised coded classification.We hope that they will be received and assessed without prejudice.Very many people have helped us over the years.Only a few names can be mentioned and we hope that the others -botanists, other scientists, foresters, gardeners, technicians, office workers, and the many .who have generously assisted us in the field in all parts of Australia as well as overseas -will accept our gratitude.Special thanks are due to our immediate