Buchanan. — Botanical Notes. 397 



Art. XLII. — Botanical Notes. By J. Buchanan. 

 [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 13th February, 1884.] 

 Loranthus fieldii, n. s. 

 Leaves 1-li inches long, linear-oblong, rounded at the tip and narrowed 

 into a very short petiole at the base, mid-rib indistinct. Racemes 3-4 

 inches long, tetrachotomously 16-flowered. Flowers l-lj inch long, bright 

 crimson, tipped with dark purple, and yellowish towards the base, petals 

 free to the bottom, anthers linear. 



A single raceme only of this beautiful Loranthus was forwarded by Mr. 

 Field, it was discovered near the base of Kuapehu on Fagns sp., and is 

 called by the Maoris "roeroe." More complete specimens will be required 

 before it can be correctly described ; in the meantime it is named pro- 

 visionally after the discoverer. 



Bolbophyllum exiguum, F. Muell. 



Specimens of this Australian Orchid have been collected in the Colling- 

 wood District, Nelson, during the last season by Mr. T)ahl, and forwarded 

 to the Colonial Museum, Wellington. 



This genus has previously been represented in New Zealand by only one 

 species, B. pygmaum, Lindl., a small tufted epiphyte, found on trees and 

 rocks with solitary flowers. The present species may be distinguished by 

 its larger size, and by the peduncles carrying 2-4 flowers. 

 Calochilas paludosus, R. Brown. 



Another Australian orchid discovered by Mr. H. H. Travers in the 

 Collingwood District, Nelson, may also be noticed for the information of 

 botanical visitors to that district. 



The present species is a tall slender plant with a long leaf, and two, 

 three, or four dark purple flowers. Sepals 7-8 lines long. Petals not half 

 so long, strongly veined. Labellum covered with long cilia. Column wing 

 produced behind the anther to about its length. Anther as broad as long, 

 very obtuse. Benth. Flora Australiensis, vol. vi. 



Dendrobium biflorum, A. Bich. 



Mr. Travers sends specimens of a large 2-flowered Dendrobium for exami- 

 nation. This is no doubt D. biflorum, A. Bich., noticed in the Handbook 

 N.Z. Flora, as a var. of D. cunninghamii, Lindl. It is a rare plant in many 

 parts of New Zealand and differs from the latter in its larger size and 

 constant 2-fiowers. It would be more satisfactory to treat such distinct 

 forms as species than as varieties in future publications. 



