Orthoceras.] ORCHIDES. 673 
ovary. Upper sepal $-4in. long, when spread out almost orbicular, 
much incurved, deeply concave; lateral filiform, erect or diverging, 
4-1 in. long. Petals thin, notched at the tip. Lip spreading or 
deflexed; lateral lobes broad, oblique; middle lobe much larger, 
ovate ; disc with a large variously shaped callus.—A. Cunn. Precur. 
n. 310; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 332; Fitzgerald, Austral. Orch. i. pt. 3. 
O. Solandri, Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orch. 512; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 
943; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 273. O.rubrum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. 
xvili. (1886) 273. O. caput-serpentis, Col. /.c. xxii. (1890) 490. 
Diuris nove-zealandie, A. Rich. Fv. Nouv. Zel. 163, t. 25, f. 1. 
Nort Isuanp: Dry hills from the North Cape southwards, not uncommon. 
SourH Istanp: Various localities in the Nelson Provincial District, Bidwill, 
Kirk! T. F.C. Sea-level to 2500 ft. December—January. 
8. MICROTIS, R. Br. 
Glabrous terrestrial herbs; root of rounded tubers on fleshy 
fibres. Leaf solitary, long, narrow, terete, opened out near the 
stem and then continuous with the closed sheath. Flowers small, 
green, numerous, densely spicate, usually spreading or reflexed. 
Upper sepal erect, broad, concave, incurved; lateral lanceolate or 
oblong, spreading or recurved. Petals similar to the lateral sepals 
or smaller. Lip sessile at the base of the column, spreading, 
oblong, obtuse, truncate or 2-lobed, usually with calli near the base. 
Column very short, almost terete, upper part with 2 auricles or 
wings. Anther terminal, erect, 2-ceiled; pollinia 4, powdery. 
The genus consists of 6 species inhabiting Australia, one of them extending 
to New Zealand. A seventh species has also been described from the Malay 
Archipelago. The genus has the habit and general appearance of Prasophyllum, 
but differs in the flowers not being reversed, and in the auricles of the column. 
1. M. porrifolia, &. Br. Prodr. 320.—Very variable in size, 
degree of robustness, and number of flowers. Stems stout or 
slender, 3-24in. high. Leaf terete, fistular, exceeding the spike or 
shorter than it. Spike 4-6in. long ; flowers few or many, close- 
set or rather distant, pane green, pedicels short; bracts small. 
Upper sepal broadly ovate, acute, deeply concave; lateral oblong, 
defiexed. Petals shorter, spreading. Lip horizontal or deflexe:, 
oblong, obtuse or 2-lobed; margins much crisped; dise with 2 calli 
at the base and usually with an irregularly shaped tubercle or 
swelling near the tip. Column very short, stout; upper part with 
2 small auricles. Pollinia attached to a very short caudicle.— 
Hook f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 245; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 266; Benth. Fl. 
Austral. vi. 347; Fitzgerald, Austral. Orch. ii. pt. 1. M. Banks, 
A. Cunn. Bot. Mag. sub. t. 3377; Precur. n. 311; Raoul, Choiz, 
41. M. longifolia, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 247. 
M. papillosa, Col. l.c. xviii. (1886) 269. Epipactis porrifolia, Swz. 
im Vet. Acad. Stockh. (1800) 233. Ophrys unifolia, Forst. Prodr. 
no. dll. 
22—F'l. 
