Gastrodia. | ORCHIDES. 697 
G. Hectori, Buch. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xix. (1887) 214, is shown by the 
specimens in Mr. Buchanan’s herbarium to be a Prasophyllwm, probably 
P. patens, R. Br. 
1. G. sesamoides, f. Br. Prodr. 330.— Root very long and 
tuberous. Stem stout or slender, 1-24 ft. high, mottled grey ; 
sheathing scales loose, truncate or with an obtuse point. Raceme 
2-8 in. long, many-flowered ; bracts scarious, broadly ovate, shorter 
than the pedicels. Flowers brownish-white, about 2in. long with- 
out the ovary, drooping. -Perianth ventricose, gibbous at the base, 
shortly 5-lobed; lobes short and broad, ovate, constricted at the 
base. Lip slightly shorter than the perianth; lamina oblong, with 
2 thick ridges up the median line, which coalesce into one near the 
tip, margins much crisped and undulate. Column elongate, almost 
as long as the lip, angular, narrowly winged above; stigma a large 
protuberance at the very base.—Hook f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 31, t. 126; 
Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 309; Ettzgerald, Austral. Orch. ii. pt. 5; 
Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxvi. (1894) 272. 
Nortu Isnanp: Auckland— Kaitaia, R. A. Matthews! Northern Wairoa, 
T. F. C.; Great Barrier Island, Kirk! near Auckland, T. F. C.; Hast Cape dis- 
trict, Adams and Petrie! SourH Istanp: Westland—Kelly’s Creek, Petrie ! 
Sea-level to 1500 ft. December—January. 
The long slender column at once separates this from the following species, 
which it otherwise much resembles. In Australia it ranges from Queensland to 
Tasmania. 
2. G. Cunninghamii, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 251.—Habit 
and appearance of G. sesamoides but usually smaller and more 
slender, 1-3 ft. high or even more. Stem brownish, often striped 
and spotted with purple or fawn colour. Raceime 6-10 in. long, 
very many-flowered, pedicels slender, 1-2 in.; bracts ovate, acute, 
searious. Flowers brownish-white, 4in. long without the ovary, 
drooping. Perianth tubular, much swollen at the base, split 
half-way down on the anterior face, shortly 5-lobed; lobes broad, 
ovate-deltoid, acute. Lip rather shorter than the perianth; lamina 
narrow trowel-shaped with 2 papillose ridges running up the 
middle and uniting near the tip; margins involute, membranous, 
much crisped and undulate. Column very short, barely + the 
length of the lip.—Handb. N.Z. Fl. 263; Petrie in rans. N.Z. 
Inst. xxy. (1893) t. 20, f. 1-4. G. leucopetala, Col. in Trans. 
N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 268. 
Norra anp SoutH Isntanps, Stewart Isnanp, CHaTHAM IsnaANDs: Not 
uncommon in dark shaded places, but easily overlooked. Sea-level to 
2000 ft. Peret; Makaika. November—January. 
The starchy thick and tuberous root was formerly collected by the Maoris 
and eaten, especially in the Urewera district. 
3. G. minor, Petrie in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxv. (1893) 273, t. 20,. 
f. 5-7.—Stem umber-brown, not spotted, very slender, 8—15in. 
