239 



Additions to the Orchidaceous Plantshof 

 South Australia. 



By R. S. Rogers, M.A., M.D. 

 [Read June 11, 1914.] 



Plates XIV. and XV. 



Prasophyllum intricatum, Stuart. 



This interesting and rare little orchid was first recorded 

 from Tasmania, and susequently from Victoria and New 

 South Wales. My South Australian specimens come from 

 Mount Compass, a district to which I am indebted for quite 

 a number of additions to the flora of our State. 



They were discovered in fair numbers by Mrs. R. S. 

 Rogers, growing in one localized swampy patch. Careful 

 search failed to reveal any further specimens in the surround- 

 ing country. They were collected early in May of this year 

 (1914), but as most of them were already fruiting, the middle 

 of April may be regarded as their ordinary time of blooming. 



Description. — Plant 2\ to 6 inches, leafless with a long 

 subulate bract close to the spike of flowers. Spike not conical, 

 somewhat squat, consisting of from two to six flowers. Flowers 

 green or yellowish-green with pale purple linear markings on 

 the segments or margins of perianth edged with same colour, 

 the labellum itself being a dark purple. Lateral sepals 

 greenish, connate at base, lanceolate-falcate, very divergent, 

 not gibbous, blotched with purple towards the base, concave 

 on labellar side, somewhat undulate, a little over 2 lines long. 

 Dorsal sepal yellowish green with purple margins, not very 

 wide, tip very acute, nearly 2 lines long. Lateral petals 

 narrowly ovate-falcate, yellowish with three reddish-purple 

 stripes and more or less purple margins, spreading and recurved, 

 same length as dorsal sepal. Labellum, articulate; broadly 

 obovate with markedly recurved tip * about same length as 

 dorsal sepal; deep purple with margins entire or slightly 

 crenulated ; the anterior half fringed with rather short hairs ; 

 callous portion wide, triangular, cleft posteriorly, reaching 

 to the tip (or nearly so). Anther with very short point or 

 pointless; about one-quarter the total length of column; 

 higher than the lateral appendages and rostellum. Pollen- 

 masses unusually friable, attached to the rostellum by a 

 caudicle of medium length and a prominent purple disc. 

 Lateral appendages wide ; fringed along upper half of their 



