Sarcochilus. | ORCHIDEZ. 667 
A genus of about 30 species, most of them from India, the Malay Archi- 
pelago, and Australia; a few from the Pacific islands, and one from New 
Zealand. 
1. S.adversus, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 241.—Roots numerous, 
long, wiry, terete. Stems short, 1-3 in. long, concealed by the im- 
bricated sheathing bases of the leaves. Leaves few, distichous, 
spreading, 1-24in. long, 4—?in. broad, linear-oblong to elliptic- 
oblong, obtuse or subacute, jointed above the sheathing base, thick 
and coriaceous, dark-green, often spotted with purple. Peduncles 
1-4 from the axils of the lower leaves, slender, strict, 1-24 in. long, 
5-15-flowered ; pedicels slender, erect ; bracts small, broadly ovate. 
Flowers small, 4-tin. diam, green spotted with purple. Sepals 
oblong-ovate, obtuse. Petals similar but slightly narrower. Lip 
as broad as long, obscurely 3-lobed, very concave, with a fleshy 
gland on each side; tip obtuse, somewhat hooded. Column very 
short, stout. Capsule linear-oblong, 4-4 in. long.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 
263. S. breviscapa, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xiv. (1882) 332. 
Norts anp Soury Isnanps, Srfwart IsLnAND, CHATHAM IsLANDS: Low- 
land districts from the North Cape southwards, not common. October- 
November. 
5. SPIRANTHES, L. C. Rich. 
Terrestrial herbs, with fibrous or tuberous roots. Stems leafy 
or sometimes leafless at the time of flowering. Flowers small, 
spirally arranged in a terminal spike. Sepals subequal; the dorsal 
one erect, more or less connivent with the petals into a hood; 
lateral free, erect or spreading. Lip sessile or clawed, concave, 
closely embracing the column at its broad base, often spreading and 
dilated at the tip; disc usually with tubercles or lamelle near 
the base. Column short, terete. Anther erect, ovate or oblong, 
2-celled ; pollinia after dehiscence pendulous from the gland of the 
rostellum. 
A genus of about 80 species, generally dispersed through most temperate or 
tropical regions. 
1. S. australis, Lindl.in Bot. Reg. t. 823.—Root of several stout 
and fleshy almost tuberous fibres. Stem variable in size, 6—20in. 
high, stout or slender, glabrous or nearly so below the inflorescence. 
Lower leaves varying from 2 to 6, 2-6in. long, narrow-linear or 
linear-lanceolate, acuminate, sheathing at the base; upper ones 
reduced to sheathing scales. Spike slender, 2-6in. long or more, 
spirally twisted, glandular-pubescent. Flowers numerous, small, 
sessile, close-set or rather distant, j,-4 in. long, rose-pink or white ; 
bracts ovate, acuminate, usually as long as the flowers. Upper 
sepal oblong, obtuse, connivent with the petals into a hood; lateral 
free, acute. Lip broadly oblong, concave; the lower part embracing 
the column and bearing a small rounded gland on each side at the 
