siderable humidity, which the country on its eastern coast, 

 especially within the tropic, provides, it is very remarkable 

 that so few of the Orchidacese growing on trees or rocks, 

 should have come within the observation of botanists attached 

 to voyages of discovery along that lengthened shore. In the 

 whole line of eastern coast, only eleven Epiphytes were re- 

 marked by Sir Joseph Banks and Mr. Brown ; and these 

 have been referred by the latter able botanist to three genera; 

 viz. Cymbidium, Dendrobium, and to a genus intermediate to 

 them, named Sarcochilus. It may, however, be observed, 

 that in the voyages of both Cook and Flinders, and indeed in 

 that more recently, of King, upon that extensive coast, 

 although landings were effected on many of its head-lands, 

 and opportunities afforded for an examination of the botany 

 of the immediate shores or adjacent country, yet perhaps no 

 instance occurred of the remoter mountainous regions having 

 been visited, where for the most part those remarkable vege- 

 tables are more probably to be found ; and that many, yet to 

 be discovered do exist, may be perhaps fairly inferred from 

 the fact of there having been found at the lUawarra— a coast 

 district on the south of Port Jackson, — and at Moreton-bay 

 (in TJ^ S".), nine Epiphytes not known to botanists, prior 

 to the exploration and examination of those most interesting 

 points on the coast. 



Of the terrestrial portion of the order, 104 species (now 

 including Phajus grandifolius. Lour., and Calanthe veratri- 

 folia, R. Br., lately found in the districts just mentioned) are 

 known to be indigenous to the Australian continent ; and of 

 these three-fifths are natives of Port Jackson and the neigh- 

 bouring country. 



But ten species, of the genera Habenaria, Thelymitra, 

 Microtis, Caladenia, Pterostylis, Cymbidium (Geodorum) and 

 Phajus, have been detected in the warmer or intertropical 

 parts of the shores of New South Wales ; and as these plants 

 are only to be met with] during the rainy season, or in the 

 period immediately subsequent, when every vegetable be- 

 comes reanimated and exerts fresh life, not a single terres- 

 trial individual of the order was found on the north-western 

 coast during the several visits of Captain P. P. King, whose 

 surveys could alone be carried on during the easterly or dry 



