THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 31 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE FLOWERING TIMES AND 



HABITATS OF SOME VICTORIAN ORCHIDS. 



By C. French, jun. 



(Read before Field Naturalists^ Club of Victoria, lOth June, 1895.^ 



As many members of the Field Naturalists' Club have from time 

 to time asked for information regarding the flowering times and 

 localities of Victorian orchids, I desire to submit a list of my 

 observations, extending over nine years, in the hope that they may 

 be of some use to lovers of these interesting plants. 



The flowering time of our native orchids varies but very slightly, 

 according to the seasons. My father, in volumes i.-iv., 1884-88, 

 of the Victorian Natimdiat, described the Victorian Orchidese 

 then recorded, with the best modes of cultivating them, and 

 although he gave many localities, as well as the flowering times, 

 since then our knowledge in these respects has been con- 

 siderably extended. I desire to express my thanks to Baron von 

 Mueller for his kindness in naming the specimens, and for other 

 information afforded me. 



This list comprises about 72 species, the total number of 

 species of orchids found in Victoria, according to Baron von 

 Mueller's " Census of Australian Plants," being about 90. It is 

 hoped, therefore, that other members of the Club will, at some 

 future time, make the list complete by recording their observations 

 as to localities and times of flowering of the few remaining species. 



To avoid too much repetition I give first a systematic list with 

 habitats, using such obvious contractions in the names of places as 

 Chelt. for Cheltenham, Oak. for Oakleigh, Dand. for Dandenong, 

 Sand, for Sandringham, H'ville for Healesville, And. Ck. for 

 Anderson's Creek, &c., and then a monthly calendar of the 

 flowering time of each species, alphabetically arranged according 

 to the genus. 



orchid. localities. 



Sarcochilus 



parviflorus, Lindley Yarragon, Dandenong Ranges 



DiPODIUM 



punctatum, R. Br. Box Hill, Croydon, Healesville, Ander- 

 son's Creek, Greensborough 

 Gastrodia 



sesamoides, R. Br. Box Hill, Croydon, H'ville, And. Ck., 

 Dand. Ck., Moondara 

 Spiranthes 



Australis, Lindley Cheltenham, Frankston 

 Thelymitra 



ixioides, Swartz ... Box Hill, Croydon, Oak., Dand. Ck. 



epipactoides, F. V. M. Sandringham, Cheltenham 



aristata, Lindley ... Sand., Chelt., Box Hill, Croyd., Werr. 



