152 



forwarded a photograph of a fruiting specimen. This indi- 

 cates a plant of different habit, with a stature of 11 cin. ; 

 with leaves on well-marked petioles and lamina from 3*75-6 cm. 

 long. It is probable that the scape becomes elongated after 

 pollination, so as to assist in the maturation of the fruit, as 

 happens in the case of many Australian orchids, notably in 

 the genus Corysanthes. On the other hand, it must be remem- 

 bered, that in certain other species of the genus, dwarfed 

 specimens are by no means infrequent. This is particularly 

 true of P. cucullata, where dwarf forms are often to be found 

 growing side by side with normal plants. These show such 

 a departure from the type that even experienced botanists 

 like Sir J. D. Hooker and Robt, Brown fell into error and 

 described them as separate species. 



Mr. Matthews further states that unlike other members 

 of the genus, the flower is reversed, the labellum being upper- 

 most, owing apparently to a retroflexion of the column on 

 the ovary. 



The new species appears to correspond rather closely to 

 the description of F. trifolia, published by Colenso in New 

 Zealand Inst., xxxi. (1898), 281. As only a single specimen 

 of Colenso's plant was discovered, and that is not available 

 for comparison, it is not possible to say whether the two 

 orchids are identical. Cheeseman, however, regards P. trifolia 

 as conspecific with P. venosa, which differs from Mr. Mat- 

 thews' plant in column and in some other respects. 



Caladenia putnila, n. sp. Planta pumilissima, per- 

 hirsuta, 5-10 cm. alta. Folium basi amplexicaule, circiter 

 3-6 cm. longum, hirsutissimum, lineare v. olbongo-lanceo- 

 latum. Caulis robust! usculus, hirsutissimus. Flos solitarius, 

 albus, comparate pergrandis. Segmenta perianthii sub- 

 aequalia, paene glabra, acuminata, non-caudata. Sepalum 

 dorsale lanceolatum, concavum, erectum, incurvatum, circiter 

 2*5 cm. longum, basi latiusculum; lateralia latiora, libera, 

 patentia, lanceolata. Petala patentia sepalis angustiora. 

 Labellum breviter unguiculatum, ovatum, apice obtusum, 

 obscure 3-lobatum, circiter 15 mm. longum 11 mm. latumque ; 

 dimidio inferiore ad columnam erectum marginibus in- 

 tegerrimis, deinde recurvum marginibus carneis serrulatis 

 V. crenulatis; lamina transverse complanata, callis carneis 

 anguste linearibus 4-6 seriatis prope medio terminantibus. 

 Columna circiter 13 mm. longa, incurvata, in dimidio 

 superiore late membranaceo-dilatata. Anthera incumbens, 

 valvata, bilocularis. Pollinia 4, typica. 



A very hairy species of low stature. Leaf relatively large, 

 linear or oblong-lanceolate, clasping at the base; stem rather 



