58 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



growing in the ti-tree scrub at Elsternwick and Brighton. I should 

 perhaps mention that I have found the flowers to have a somewhat 

 reddish tinge of colour, which is not so in P. reflexa. Height from 

 4 to 6 inches. Flowers in Spring. P. alata, and Dispcris alata 

 of Labillnrdiere, are identical with thiss/). Found also in Tasmania, 

 South Australia, and New South Wales. 



SkRIEB 2. PaUVI FLORAE. 



Stems leafless at time of flowering, except empty sheathing bracts. 

 Basal appendage of labellum short, entire or with 2 or 3 teeth or 

 setae. 



P. PARviFLouA, (R. Brown.) 



This is the smallest of our native sp. of Pterosti/lis, and one 

 ■which is most easily recognised from any other which we are 

 likely to find during our rambles, principally on account of its very 

 small flowers, slender habit, and by an absence in most cases of the 

 radical rosette leaves at time of flowering, although these make their 

 appearance later on. In the Brighton district this sp. in some 

 places is not uncommon, although it had grown there unobserved 

 for many years, and was first brought under notice by myself, the 

 Baron tliinking it to be P. a;; A?///a, but upon closer examination, 

 he considers it to be identical with P. parviflora. Tliis plant 

 genei-ally bears but 2 flowers in the raceme, but sometimes 5 have 

 been found, when the plant was comparatively robust. It is hardly 

 worth cultivating excepting for to complete a collection, in which case 

 it should be grown in sandy soil, with good drainage. Flowers 

 from April to August. I may remark that there seems to be some 

 doubt attached to a sp. found by Mr. McKibbin, near Maryborough, 

 as a flowering tuber kindly given to me by that gentleman seemed 

 to be quite a distinct form, it being much more robust, and a 

 decided red color pervaded the whole flower, but possibly this 

 change may be partly attributable to cultivation. Height from 3 to 

 12 inches. Found also in New South Wales, Queensland, and in 

 Tasmania. 



Section 2. Catochilus. 



Liower lip reflexed from the base. Labellum appendage entii'e 

 and obtuse, sometimes almost obsolete. 



P. BARBATA, (Lindlcy.) 



One of the most singular and beautiful of our native orchids, 

 easily distinguished from any of the otlier gp., by tiie beautiful 

 yellow beard-like hairs on the labellum, which, by the way, seem to 

 be always on the move. To find this sp., search well on the heath 

 ground near Brighton, as it is better to remove the tubers from the 



