no Pescott, Xoies on the Orchids of Victoria. [v,o 'xxxvii 



Since iqii very considerable interest has been taken in the 

 study and observation of our orchids, and at the present time 

 we have a knowledge of 123 species in this State— an increase 

 of thirty-three species since 191 1. 



The most interesting and popular account of our orchids 

 that has yet been written appeared as a series of articles entitled 

 "The Quest of Orchids" in the columns of The Federal 

 Standard, published at Chiltern, during the years 1917-18. 

 Twenty-two articles were written, describing the collecting and 

 observ^ations extending through the year, and the author records 

 the finding of lifty-three species within a radius of t,en miles 

 from his school at Cravensville, near Tallangatta, in tlie North- 

 Eastern district. To this fine collector, Mr. Arthur K. Braine, 

 stands the record of having collected some of our rarest orchids, 

 one of which was new to science and three new for the State. 



Colour as a GriDE to Species. — As a general rule, the 

 colour of an individual species is strictly constant, and the 

 general colour can be taken as a guide to the species. Thus, 

 if we find a purple Diuris we can almost safeh' conclude that 

 it will be D. punctata ; or if we find a blue Caladenia we may 

 take it to be C. deformis or C. ccerulea. But that is not in- 

 variably the case, for frequently colour varieties will be found 

 within the species. .\llMno forms, too, are known of many 

 species. A pure white specimen of the Hyacinth Orchid, 

 Dipodiiim punctalum, was found a few years ago at Ararat. 

 White varieties of several species of Thelymitra and Caladenia 

 are known, and also of Glossodia major. A specimen of 

 Pteroslylis falcata, almost pure white in foliage, stem, and 

 flower, .was recently found at Dandenong Creek ; while a 

 member of the Club, Mr. A. J. Tadgell, found a clear yellow 

 variety of Caladenia deformis. Purple and purplish varieties 

 of both Diuris longifolia and /). macnlata are known. The 

 Crow Orchid, Orthoceras strictiim, is found in lioth dark purple 

 and green forms. Green varieties of CJiiloi^loUis trapcziforme, 

 C. Gunnii, Acianthus caudalns, and Cyrtostylis reniformis have 

 also occurred. A red variety of Thelymitra antennifera is also 

 well known. What seems to be an extreme limit in colour 

 variation was the finding last year by Dr. R. S. Rogers — not in 

 this State, but in Western AustraUa — of a pure \v'hite flower 

 of Lyperanthiis nigricans ! So that emphasis must be laid on 

 the fact that it is the structural form, and not the colour of 

 the flower, that determines the species. 



New Species Recorded Sinxe 191 i. — The following are 

 the species and localities of the new records, so far as these 

 data are available :- 



Thelymitra venosa, R. Br., the Veined Sun Orchid, collected 



