THE TASMANIAN FLORA. 196 



yellow-brown. Upper pair of segments about 2 lines long, ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute ; lowest segment shorter and broader. Labellum oblong, sub-acute, on a 

 slender stalk, irritable. Lateral lobes of the column, rather longer than the 

 column, and adnate to it throughout its length, acute, with a second point below 

 the apex. 



Waterworks (Hobart), Kingston, Circular Head, Rooky Cape, &c. Fl, May. 



12. MICROTIS. 



Flowers small, g'reen, in a terminal spike. Outer perianth-segments : the 

 upper one erect, broad ; lower pair nai-row, very short, usually recurved. 

 Labellum short, sessile, obtuse or bifid, variously thickened on the upper 

 surface Column very short. Anther valvular. 



A small genus, principally Australian, but extending from Eastern Asia to 

 New Zealand. 



M. P'OEEIFOLIA, Sprang. Stem from 4 inches to 1 fooc high. Leaf linear, with 

 a long sheath and lamina a few inches long. Flowers numerous, green, variable 

 in size, but seldom exceeding 1 line, on an obovate ovary about twice as long. 

 Labellum about 1 line long, oblong, emarginate or 2-lobed, margins usually 

 crenate, the centre bearing 2 protuberances towards the base, and 1 near the 

 apex. Column minutely winged. M. pulchella, arenaria, and vara, Hook, 

 included. 



Very common ; also in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South 

 Australia, and West Australia. Fl. N"ov.-Mar. 



Among the many forms the following is usually considered specifically 

 distinct : — 



Var. parviflora, R. Br. More slender, and with rather smaller flowers 

 than in the type. Labellum with less prominent protuberances, and 

 column-wing more conspicuous. -/fef. paroiflora, Bentb. " Fl. Aust." 

 and Hook. "Fl.Tas." Circular Head. The Australian distribution 

 is the same as the type. It extends to New Caledonia and Eastern 

 Asia. 



13. CORTSANTHES. 



Upper segment of the perianth erect and hood-shaped ; other segments usually 

 small, linear, and inconspicuous. Labellum erect, broad, large, recurved on 

 itself. Column short, erect, obscurely winged. Anther erect, valvular. Flower 

 solitary, red-brown. Leaf single. 



The genus is small, and spreads from the East Indies to New Zealand. 



Dorsal sepal as large as the labellum. 



Flower bent, orifice with a downward aspect ... 1. C. unguiculata. 



Flower erect, looking forwards ... ... ... 2. C. pruinosa. 



Dorsal sepal smaller than the labellum, greenish ... 3. C diemenica. 

 Dorsal sepal much exceeding and including the 



labellum ... ... ... ... ... ' ... 4. C hicalcarata. 



1. 0. UNGUICULATA, R. Br. Leaf cordate, acute, |-| inch, pale beneath slightly 

 tinted with red. Stalk and ovary erect, about f inch. The perianth erect at 

 the base, then sharply curved downwards. Dorsal sepal contracted below, 

 orbicular and concave at the apex. Labellum exceeding the dorsal sepal, concave, 

 not expanded, leaving a narrow entrance to the flower. 



Blackman Ba,y, River Derwent ; also New South Wales and Victoria. Fl. 

 July. 



2. C. PKUINOSA, Cunn. Leaf broadly cordate, acute, |-I inch, pale, frosty 

 beneath. Stalk and ovary erect, about y inch. Perianth erect, opening directed 

 forwards. Dorsal sepal curved forwards, nearly I inch long, with a broad hood- 

 .shaped apex. Labellum narrow, tubular below, erect and embracing the column, 



