36 



the minute *Bulbostylis capillaris var. trifida, Centrolepis novo-guineensis in 

 tufts, the first record of the genus in New Guinea, *Xyris pauciftora, 

 Eriocaulon leucogenes, very variable in size, * llurmannia disticha, up to 1 m., 

 one or two examples of the little white Spiranthes papuana ?, *Polygonum 

 alatum, the small yellow *Utricularia bifida, and the mauve *U.racemosa 

 from a few cm. to 2 dm. in height, both new records for New Guinea, 

 dotted the surface ; while abundant patches of the yellow and red RiedeHa 

 montana var. puberula, also var. arfakensis, cream and dark red, both about 

 50 m. high, with the beautiful terrestrial orchids, Dendrobium fruticicola, 

 the foliage '50 m., above which the brilliant orange flowers, red when older, 

 rose to '30 m., D. latifrons, also yellow, and the splendid D. rhomboglossum, 

 1 m. high with large convex flowers, magenta-pink outside, white inside, borne 

 the whole length of the rhachis, made glorious patches of colour, blended 

 with small slender plants of Halorrhagis su/ruticosa, Oldenlandia nutans, and 

 Coleus Gibbsece, white to mauve, all of similar habit and dominant on the 

 marsh in all situations ; young plants of Nepenthes maxima var. nana, the 

 mature trailing over any support, with *Lycopodium divaricatum abounded. 



Shrubs. As the above plants eased oft' and a ranker growth inhibited 

 close burning, shrubs occurred in small groups, chiefly *Bceckea frutescens, 

 Rhododendron Devriesianum, of which the magnificent white flowers, turning- 

 pink later and fragrant at night, are about 1 dm. across, the whole inflor- 

 escence being 10 dm. in diameter, R. Icetum, the little profuse flowering 

 R. Vonroemeri, and the bright red R. Gibbsece, all further emphasize the 

 wonderful colour-scheme of the more open portions of this interesting marsh 

 association. 



Denser Sedge Growth in Boggy Areas. 



Boggy areas with deep ditches, standing water, or larger streams bore an 

 impenetrable sedge-growth which included *Dryopteris Beddomei, *Lyco- 

 podium divaricatum, * Cladium falcatum and *C. germanicum, *Sdrpus 

 setaeeus, Trisetum latifolium, Ischcvmum aristatum var. arfakensis, *Juncus 

 lampocarpus, Phaius Tankervillece var. papuanus, the flowers brown, white 

 inside, Halorrhagis suffruticosa, Oldenlandia nutans, Coleus Gibbsece, and 

 * Emilia sonchifolia, all drawn up to the level of the surrounding sedge. 



In other boggy areas sloping down to the lake, generally under water, 

 *Juncus lampocarpus predominated, easing off with * ' Carex Gaudichaudiana 

 to the sand-pan association. 



Edging the lake, limiting the white coarse quartz-sand beach, a higher 

 and drier sandy bank, well bound together by the roots of the sedges, and 

 broken in parts where small streams ran into the lake, carried *Marchantia 

 polymorpha, * Lycopodium divaricatum and *L. complanatum, Cladium arfak- 

 ense and *C. germanicum, * Carex Gaudichaudiana, *Gahnia psittacorum, 

 * Rhynchospora aurea and *R. glauca, Trisetwn latifolium, * Dianella 



