208 Transactions. — Hotani/. 



long, acuminate with a long mucro, veined, minutely papillose 

 on tips at outside, the upper flower having 2 bracts opposite, 

 the inner one much smaller ; pedicels slender, J inch long. 

 Perianth purple, 1 inch diameter, spreading, all segments much 

 veined, veins branching ; dorsal sepal oblong apiculate ; lateral 

 sepals ovate-acuminate apiculate ; lateral petals sub-obovate 

 apiculate ; labellum broadly oblong-lanceolate, obtuse ; column 

 black-purple above, largely bifid, each lobe 1 -notched, incurved; 

 the two appendages each on a long slender arm arising from 

 below as high as the column ; largely plumose at top in a 

 globular ball ; hairs very flexuous, sub-moniliform, twisted, 

 their tips obtuse and rounded ; anther broadly ovate, obtuse, 

 apex below top of column. Ovary lanceolate, ^ inch long, 

 coarsely ribbed. 



Hab. High lands base of Mount Ruapehu (Tongariro Range), 

 County of East Taupo ; whence specimens were brought by a 

 visitor in 1879, and given to me with some other plants (sps. 

 7iov. supra). 



Obs. This is another small neat-looking species, with large 

 dark-coloured flowers, their segments much veined (as also are 

 their coloured bracts), the lower lobe or labellum being larger 

 than the others. The number of the flowers on a plant vary, 

 usually 3, but m one of my specimens 2, and in another only 1 ; 

 each of these two plants being also smaller. A striking charac- 

 ter is the low branching of its slender staminodire or lateral 

 lobes of its column which are also elongated, and their peculiar 

 wavy moniliform hairs. There may be more basal sheaths 

 belonging to the plant, as nry specimens do not include their 

 roots or tubers. 



A Note on Thelymitra. 



I would here mention two deformed or abnormal specimens 

 of this genus which have come under my notice ; both of them 

 obtained in 1884, in the hilly forests near Norsewood, and 

 apparently varieties of T. purpureo-fusca, Col. :;: 



1. A small 1 -flowered specimen ; the perianth consisting of 

 only four equal segments. 



2. Another small specimen ; the column of its perianth con- 

 taining 3 staminodia?, one of them being in front, arising from 

 the junction of the two wings at the lower front base, and with 

 the other tw r o lateral ones curiously enclosing the top of the 

 column. 



Genus 17. Prasophyllum, Brown. 



1. P. varirtjatinn, sp. nov. 



Stem slender, erect, 5 inches high, green above, red below, 

 minutely speckled with white papillose spots, sulcated on one 



* " Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. xvii., p. 349. 



