THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. nism W, 
This sp. should be kept in as open a place as possible, (avoiding the 
hottest positions). and will often require tying to a stake, as it is 
apt to become drawn, and topple over. Although so humble in 
appearance, this orchid has quite an array of synonyms, and M. Banksiz 
M. wnefolia M. vara, M. pulchella, (of Lindley, not of Brown), M4. 
arenaria and M. fr uielor um, are identical with this sp. Flowers in 
the summer. It is also found in New South Wales, Queensland, 
South Australia, Tasmania, and in New Zealand. 
Microris parvirtora, (R. Brown,) 
This is said to be a more slender sp. than the former, the leaf 
and especially the sheath much narrower. the flowers smaller, and 
less crowded in the majority of specimens, and from the above 
description, abbreviated from the ‘‘ Flora,” it seems to be intermediate 
between MM. parvifolia and MM. atrata. I do not remember to haye 
found this sp. myself, although near Frankston and Mt. Martha, I 
have collected this, or a sp. answering very well to its description. 
It will, however, be of little use as a cultural plant, and if required. 
in the Eolecion: the same treatment as that recommended for the 
larger sp. will suffice. This sp. according to Bentham and Mueller, 
seems to have a very wide range, being Pama in New South Wales, 
Queensland, Tasmania, ester yee alia, extending also to New 
Caledonia, the Indian Archipelago, and South China. Baron yon 
Mueller, in his valuable “Census” of Australian plants, has omitted 
this sp., considering it, I believe, to be a form of MM. parvifolia, and 
with his usual accurazy of observation and description, his view is 
doubtless the correct one. 
Microris arrata, (Lindley.) 
This sp. is the smailest of the genus, at any rate, so far as 
Victoria is concerned. 1t should be looked for in the most damp 
places on heathy flats: in fact I have found it in ground with two 
inches of water on the surface. It may easily be ‘detected by its 
habit of growing in patches, its yellowish green flowers, being in 
bare ground very conspicuous. I well remember, when in company 
with a friend who had then the orchid mania samenlat severely, [ 
first found this little plant in a most prolific paddock at Caulfield, 
(since improved out of existence), and it was then considered a prize, 
But then this was more than twenty years since, during which time it 
has been found in many other parts of the colony; none Se. L 
think my specimens were the first living ones which Baron yon 
Mueller sent to Europe. This sp. it will be noticed, has somewhat 
short leaves, with the spike standing well above them. Bentham 
remarks as a peculiarity of this sp., that it usually dries black, a 
remark which will also apply to the three Victorian sp., and possibly to 
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