THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 101 



EXCURSION TO CHELTENHAM.— Botany (Orchids). 



On Saturday, ist October, considering the splendid afternoon only 

 a few members — four in all — put in an appearance at the Chelten- 

 ham station (owing, probably, to the train leaving Melbourne at 

 ten minutes past i, being too early for most members). Anyhow, 

 those who attended had a very successful afternoon, 18 species of 

 orchids in flower being collected in the three hours, amongst which 

 maybe mentioned Thehjmitra aristata, T.antennifera, T.longifolia, 

 Caladenia patersoni (several varieties), C. menziesii, C. defbrniis, 

 C. latifolia, Diuris longifolia (a patch about two feet square con- 

 tained fully one hundred specimens, mostly in flower), D. pedun- 

 calctta, Pterostylis barbata, P. pedunculata, Prasopht/Uam elatum 

 (green and brownish varieties), Lyperanthus nigricans, and other 

 commoner species. The heath ground near Cheltenham at the 

 present time presents a beautiful appearance, and will repay any- 

 one interested in native flowers to visit the locality, fully 60 

 species of plants being noticed in flower (not including the 

 orchids) during our few hours' ramble. I may mention that on 

 the two orchid excursions to Sandringham and Cheltenham no 

 less than 25 species of orchids were collected in flower. — C. 

 French, jun. 



VARIATIONS IN WURMBEA DIOICA. 



( Commimicated to the Club, 12th September, 1892.,) 



Baron von Mueller, in his " Fragmenta," mentions that this 

 species sometimes has 2 or 4 carpels and 7 or 8 segments of the 

 -perianth. Bentham mentions that it is a very variable species. 

 I have examined a large number of specimens collected indis- 

 criminately near Brighton, and find the carpels frequently 2, 4, 

 or 5, with 4 to 8 perianth segments, these variations occurring 

 separately or together, but when both vary it is in the same 

 direction. The number of stamens is sometimes increased to 

 7, 8, or 9. I found one flower with 5 sepals, 5 petals, 10 

 stamens, and 5 carpels. The anthers are sometimes 4-lobed 

 instead of 2. These variations may affect all or some only of 

 the flowers in the spike, and different flowers to different extents, 

 but in the same direction. About 21 per cent, of the pistillate 

 spikes vary in some way, and 14 per cent, of the total number. 

 Variations also occur in the colouring of the flowers, the most 

 usual being that the ring is divided into dots. The whole of the 

 perianth is sometimes tinted with a ring of darker colour. In a 

 few flowers the ring was absent or very pale, rarely yellow. 

 These variations in colour affect the whole spike alike. 1 found 

 one spike branched. — Thomas S. Hart. 



