JANUARY. 49 



In moist ground are still to he met with numerous small 

 delicately scented violets, white with blue or purple stripes 

 on the lower petals, and yellow throats ; while on the drier 

 knolls are the little white flowers of the only native mint 

 (Mentha Cunninghamii), a plant somewhat suggestive of 

 the wild thyme of the Old Country. Native blue-bells, 

 which, however, are more often white ; Pratia, a small 

 white lobelia-like plant, and small composites of several 

 kinds (Celmisia, Lagcnophora, Vitiadinia, and Raoulia) 

 arc all common in Januarv. Occasionallv one comes across 



Pratia angulata. 



the little native carrot (Daucus brachiatus), or the diminu- 

 tive liliaceous Arthropodium candidum. This bears pretty 

 little white blossoms with curiously tasselled stamens, but 

 very frequently we meet with a grass-like form which pro- 

 duces closed (cleistogamic) flowers destitute of white 

 colour or fragrance. The commonest orchids are mostly 

 inconspicuous green species like Microtis and Prasophyllum, 

 but one also meets with the large interesting green flowers 

 of Pterostylis, which temporarily imprison the flies which 

 visit them, or the blue Thelymitras. Chiloglottis traversii 

 D 



