V 



176 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



dense scrub in which it grows. It cannot be mistaken for any 

 other species, approaching nearer in shape to Caladenia 

 Menziesii than to any of our native species. To grow it 

 well, lift the tubers late in the season — say in August — plant in 

 sandy soil, drain well and water freely as soon as the leaves 

 appear above ground. This species is only useful to complete 

 a collection. Caladenia fimbriata, Leptoceras fimbriata, and Z. 

 p^dinata are identical with this species. Found also in South 

 and West Australia. 



Lyperanthus, (R. Brown.) 



Dorsal sepal broad, concave, erect or incurved over the 

 column ; lateral sepals and petals narrow, erect or spreading, 

 all nearly equal in length. Labellum shorter than the sepals, 

 with a broad erect claw. Column erect or incurved, not winged. 

 Anther terminal, erect, 2-celled, pollen masses granular. A 

 terrestrial sp. with oblong underground tubers. Scapes or stems 

 2 or more flowered. Mostly with one radical leaf, dark-green, 

 with purplish dots. Bracts usually rather large and leaf-like. 



L. NIGRICANS, (R. Brown.) 



Stems from a few inches to nearly i foot high, rather stout. 

 Radical leaf rather broadly ovate-cordate. Dorsal sepal broad, 

 concave, much incurved, acuminate, 7 to 8 lines long. Column 

 incurved, not winged. 



This is one of the most beautiful as well as one of the most 

 singular and distinct of our native orchids, the large fleshy 

 leaves, sometimes 4 or 5 inches across, lying nearly flat on the 

 sandy hills around Brighton, Cheltenham, and throughout the 

 colony, at least near the coast. This plant should be looked 

 for on burnt heath land or in bare patches, it being seldom, if 

 ever, found where the scrub is dense. Such, at least, is my own 

 experience. The flowers, of which there are sometimes 5, are 

 of a pinkish purple, with darker purple markings, the spikes 

 standing very erect above the leaves, and the finest flowers are 

 generally on those plants which have the worst leaves. In the 

 damp soil near the ti-tree scrubs the leaves of this sp. grow very 

 rank and large, although I have never seen one in flower in such 

 positions, the most elevated and exposed places being their 

 favourite haunts. This is a sp. which is easily recognised from 

 all other Victorian orchids, so a lengthy description will be 

 perhaps unnecessary. To grow it well lift very carefully, as the 

 tubers are rather deep in the soil, and are easily detached from 

 the plant ; plant several tubers in a shallow pot or pan, in sandy, 

 heathy soil ; drain well, and water very sparingly. It is some- 

 what difficult of cultivation. Flowers from October till end of 



