28 



Petals rather narrow, falcate-lanceolate, shorter than 

 sepals, about 5 lines. 



Labellum on a distinct and narrow claw, oblong-lanceolate, 

 margins crenulate, erect in its basal third, horizontal in its 

 anterior part, nearly as long as the petals ; inner plate with 

 wide orbicular base and free entire margins, suddenly contract- 

 ing at the bend into a rather bluntly lanceolate part with 

 entire margins, extending to within a short distance of the tip. 



Column with a blunt sessile anther ; long, narrow 

 rostellum greatly exceeding in length the anther ; caudicle very 

 long and strap-like; lateral wings blunt, oblong-falcate, 

 membranous, with a basal thickening on dorsal margin, much 

 higher than rostellum. 



Found by Dr. R. Pulleine, December, 1917, a little south 

 of Manjimup, not far from Forest Diamond Tree, Western 

 Australia. 



Two large Western Australian prasophylla have been 

 described under the name of P. giganteum by Lindley (Swan 

 River Appendix, 1839, and Genera et Species, 1840) and 

 Endlicher (Plantae Preissianae, 1844-7) respectively. The 

 Latin descriptions are not in either case sufficiently definite 

 and detailed to enable one to identify the plant, but Bentham, 

 who had access to both types, states that they are not forms of 

 the same species. He reduces Lindley's species to P. elaium, 

 Br., and Endlicher's to P. Fimbria, Reich, f. 



The new species certainly cannot be referred either to 

 P. datum or P. Fimbria, although it bears a superficial 

 resemblance to both. 



It must also be differentiated from three other tall Eastern 

 Prasophylla, viz., P. australe, Br., P. flavum, Br., and P. 

 odoratum , Rogers. 



All the above species, including P. regium, generally 

 exceed 2 feet in height, but only in the latter have I seen a 

 spike bearing between 50 and 60 flowers, or indeed anything 

 approaching this number. 



It falls under Bentham's Section 2, Podochilus, in which 

 the labellum is on a distinct claw. 



The following table will effect the necessary separation : — 



Plants tall, generally exceeding 2 feet in 

 height. 

 Labellum sessile, lateral sepals connate, at 

 least in the middle. 

 Labellum sharply flexed ; with very much 

 raised prominent inner plate scarcely 

 reaching beyond bend ; lateral ap- 

 pendages of column not exceeding 

 rostellum in height; leaf-lamina long 1. P. australe 



