The views held by various observers as regards the mode in which the eucalyptus manna (Mellitose) is formed and secreted are diversified. Dr. George Bennett (Wanderings in N.S.W., 1834)1 already refers to it; and Captain Sturt within the first half of this century on S.A. observations,2 and in later years also, Mr. Wintle from what he noted in Tasmania, he using the words "that the cicadas have been most numerous where the manna was most abundant," which may, however, only indicate that these creatures were able to find the nutritious sap needed by them.3
The sap of the manna-gumtree (eucalyptus viminalis) is more saccharine than that of most other eucalypts, thus the so-called "Native bear" (phaecolarctos4 cinereus) seeks especially the foliage of this particular "gumtree" for its food. Sir Frederick M'Coy, in his admirable Decades, has depictured the " great cicade" (cicada maerina)5 which is chiefly instrumental in evolving this saccharine finally crumb like substance, a product quite distinct from the true medicinal manna obtainable from the South European manna ash (Traxinus ornus)6, a tree planted already by myself at Melbourne in the fifties of this century.
Sir Frederick M'Coy has traced the production of Mellitose also to a smaller cicade (cyclocheila Australiae).7 Mr. Aug. Simson, in North-East Tasmania, saw almost streamlets of manna-fluid or syrup along the trunk from perforations effected by numerous individuals of the great cicades, the boring organ being fully ½in. long.8
Mr. H. Marshall, of Angaston, in South Australia, noticed eucalyptus manna copiously emanating through an insect, ascribed by Mr. Tepper to the genus Cercopis. Mr. Th. Stephens, of Hobart, found the mellitose-manna simply to be an outflow from the cambium and bark of euc. viminalis, though brought partly out by the direct boring of the Eurymela spectrum.9 Mr. James Dawson, of Camperdown, found even manna exuding from twigs which he had experimentally enclosed in a gauze-bag, and further he gathered leaves with accidental holes, around which "manna" had encrusted, so that in these cases the product could not have been the secretion of any insect; and we can easily imagine how from any slight ordinary crack some mellitose fluid might exude quite spontaneously at favourable occasions.
By an analysis of dried leaves of eucalyptus viminalis, conducted by Mr. Rummel in my laboratory, 13 per cent, of saccharine substance was obtained, equal to 6½ per cent, of the fresh leaves. It may not always be so great a proportion at different seasons and in varied localities; still the question arises whether this unsuspected richdom of sugary matter in one of our least valued and, indeed, quite discarded "gum-trees" could be turned perhaps to any practical account. The whole subject of the eucalyptus manna, as well as that of the "lerp," has been treated at some length in the 10th Decade of my eucalyptography.10
Eucalyptus viminalis
Traxinus ornus
G. Bennett (1834), vol. 1, passim, especially pp. 319-22.
Sturt reference not found; M is not precise in his reference in B84.11.02, stating merely that 'Captain Sturt, also in one of his works spoke already of the occurrence of the Eucalyptus-Manna, where the large Cicadae abounded.'
The letter register of the Royal Society of Tasmania shows that during 1879, M had been in correspondence with Wintle and other Tasmanians on this topic, see J. Agnew to M, 26 September 1879 and J. Agnew to M, 4 October 1879.
Typesetter's error for Phascolarctos?
Typesetter's error for Cicada moerens? The illustration is in McCoy (1878-90), decade 5, plate 50.
Typesetter's error for Fraxinus ornus?
Depicted on plate 50 of McCoy (1878-90), where it is called Cyclochila australasiae. See F. McCoy to M, September 1879 (in this edition as 79-09-00f).
See A. Simson to M, May 1880 (in this edition as 80-05-00).
See T. Stephens to M, February 1881 (in this edition as 85-02-00c).
Eucalyptographia (B84.11.02), under Eucalyptus viminalis. Much of the information used in the present memorandum comes from the discussion in Eucalyptographia.
Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Gumtree Manna', Australasian (Melbourne), 28 April 1894, p. 732 (B94.04.04). It is introduced by
Several correspondents have lately asked questions respecting the origin of the so-called manna found under the eucalyptus viminalis, a gumtree common about Melbourne, and distinguishable by its spreading boughs and dark bark. The bush idea is that the cicada or tree locust makes the manna, which really comes from the leaf of the tree. Sir Ferdinand von Mueller has favoured us with the following interesting memorandum :—
In the issue of 7 April, p. 596, the Australasian, in answer to a question by 'Patricius', had printed a passage on E. viminalis from B77.08.01, pp. 16-17, that deals briefly with 'manna' and 'lerp', where M wrote 'manna … is secreted by the instrumentality of cicadae, which frequent this particular tree and derive nourishment from its sap'.
Please cite as “FVM-94-04-00a,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on