122 REV. W. AVOOLLS, PH.D.^ P.L.S.^ OX THK 



The larger or more shrubby species of Richea and iJmco- 

 plujlhun are mostly Alpine plants, and have a monocotyled(j- 

 aous aspect, some rising to the heigJit of thirty or forty feet. 

 D. Fitzgevaldi (iMuellcr), of Lord Howe's Island, is perha]3s 

 the most remarkable of the order, attaining a height of ninety 

 feet, and having leaves a foot or more in length. Paxton 

 speaks of the smaller Epaciids as " very elegant greenhouse 

 plants," and Sir W. Macarthur used to say that, if anyone 

 desired to see tJiem in perfection, he must visit the European, 

 conservatories. Australian orchids, though not to be compared 

 with those of the East and West Indies or the warmer parts 

 of America in point of numbers, variety, or brilliancy, yet 

 present on the whole many features of structural beauty and 

 organic peculiarity whereby they commend themselves to 

 the artist and the botanist. It is true that many of the 

 species are minute plants, terrestrial in habit, and appearing 

 only for a few short weeks in spring, but even these, when 

 viewed microscopically, give the scientist the means of 

 studying the various modes of fertilisation, the ageh-.cies 

 whereby nature secures the perpetuation of species, and the 

 links Avhich seem to connect one form with another. The 

 late much lamented Mr. R. D. Fitzgerald. F.L.S.. in his 

 splendid work on Australian Orchids, figured nearly two- 

 tliirds of all known species some terrestrial, and some 

 epiphytal ; and although the majority may not interest the 

 casual observer the following must be regarded as worthy 

 of consideration for their size or beauty : — 



Sarcochilus Fitzgercddi (F. v ]\I.) 

 Dendrohixim caaalicidatum (R. Br.) 

 ,, r/9'ic??(m(R. Br.) 



„ falconirostre (Fitz.) 



„ cucumerinum (Lindl.) 



„ pfitdanopsis (Fitz.) 

 „ J/oom (F. V M.) 



„ superhietis{J{.Qic\\.) 



,, undidatum (R. Br.) 



„ spcciosnm (8ra.) 



„ Kivgianum (Bidw.) 



Galeola foliata (F. v M.) 

 Calanthe ocratnfolia (R. Br.) 

 Spathoglottis Paidime (F. v M.) 

 SarcochUus diiHtijiorus (F. v M.) 

 delandria SmiUke (Fitz.) 

 Dipodium punctatmn (R. Br.) 

 Cidadenia lohata (Fitz.) 

 Prasophyllum elatum (R. Br.) 

 Theli/mitra ixioides (R. Br.) 

 „ gi'andi/fora (Fitz.) 

 „ antennlfcra (lloolc.) 



Many of the smaller species figured by j\Ir. Fitzgerald are 

 peculiar to Australia, but as here and there species occur 

 which are not limited to that continent, they form, as it were, 

 a connection between the botany of Australia and other 

 regions, which, at some remote period, were not separated 

 from it by the intervening ocean. All the species, however,, 

 as yet figured, ilhistrate amply an interesting }HirlinM of the 



