1532 CXXVII. ORCHIDE^. [Di'mhobium. 



25. B. hispidum (hispid), A. Rich. Sert. Astrol. 13, i. 5 ; Benth. Fl. Austi: 

 vi. 283. A dwarf plant foi-ming dense tufts. Stems slender, only a few inches 

 high, often several in a cluster, formed of only 2 or 3 internodes with membranous 

 scarious sheaths. Leaf terminal, oblong or lanceolate, prominently keeled 

 underneath, 1 to 2in. long. Pedicels at the base of the leaf 1 or 2, slender, 1 to 



2 lines long. Ovary densely muricate with bristly processes. Sepals ovate, 

 obtuse, about 1^ line long besides the spur which is about as long as the free part, 

 the dorsal separrather narrower. Petals linear, as long as the sepals. Labellnm 

 as long as the sepals, the lateral lobes rather broad, the middle lobe at least as 

 broad as long, with raised wrinkles on its surface but no raised lines on the disk 

 between the lateral lobes ; spur long. Capsule echinate, ovoid or globular, about 



3 lines diameter. — F. v. Muell. Fragm. vii. 30. 



Hab.: Oa trees, Eockingham Bay, Dallachy ; and other northern localities. 



Var. Taylori, (after Norman Taylor). Rhizome creeping, mucii matted and clothed with the torn 

 old sheaths. Stems numerous, erect, 2 or Sin. high, 1 line thick, bluntly ribbed and bearing at 

 the summit a single leaf and 1 or more flowers. Leaf about 2 inches long and about 4 lines 

 broad, prominently keeled underneath, oblong, eraarginate. Pedicel at the base of leaf about 6 

 lines long, curved and supported by a scarious ribbed bract about 3 lines long and 1 line broad. 

 Outer segments 2 or 3 lines long, the dorsal one narrower than the lateral ones ; inner segments 

 narrower and incurved, all white; spur short and broEid. Labellum thick, middle lobe cordate, 

 about 1 line broad, glandular, transversely furrowed, orange-coloured. Column prominent 

 the narrow wings ending at the top in sharp incurved points. Anther-lid purple. — Btilbo- 

 phyllum Taylori, F. v. M. Fragm. viii. 150 ; Dendrobium uni/tos, Bail. Proc. Roy. Soc. Ql. vi.; 

 D. Taylori, Fitzg. Austr. Orcb. ii. Pt. 3. 



Hab.: Herberton ; Bioom&eldL 'Riv-er, Norman Taylor. 



26. U. cucumerinum (Cucumber-like), Lindl. Bot. Bee/. 1842, Misc. 68 ; 

 1843, t. 87 ; Bmth. Fl. Austr. vi. 283. Gherkin Orchid. A creeping species, 

 stems rigid, elongating, with prominent ribs and furrows and annular scars of the 

 sheathing scales. Leaves oblong, fleshy, above lin. long, marked with longitudinal 

 raised tuberculate ribs and assuming the aspect of a little cucumber. Eacemes 

 abo.ut 6 lines long bearing usually 4 flowers. Pedicels about ^in. long. Sepals 

 and petals yellowish- white, streaked with a reddish-purple, about Jin. long; 

 lateral sepals twisted, the dorsal one like the petals flat, all recurved. Spur short 

 and conical. Labellum shorter than the sepals, the lateral lobes prominent, 

 almost acute, the middle lobe ovate, shortly acuminate, much recurved, with 

 undulate-crisped margins, white spotted with reddish-purple ; the disk with 

 3 or 5 longitudinal raised plates, even between the lateral lobes, much undulate 

 on the middle lobe, all of a brown colour. Column rather broad. Stigma deeply 

 sunk, the sides not forming teeth at the top. Anther-lid somewhat flat, truncate 

 in fcont, bearing on the back a purple spot on either side. Pollen-masses 

 pyriform, amber coloured. — Bot. Mag. t. 4619 ; F. v. Muell. Fragm. iii. 59 ; 

 Fitz. Austr. Orch. i., Pt. 6. 



Hab.: Southern ranges. 



27. 3>. pugioniforme (dagger-formed), A. Cunn. in Lin. Bot. Be;/. 1839, 

 Misc. 33 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 284. Stems or rhizomes long pendulous from 

 the thick branches of mountain trees, rather slender, much-branched, rooting 

 at the nodes and covered when young by the scarious sheathing scales. Leaves^ 

 articulate on a very short turbinate protuberance in the axils of the scales, 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, tapering into a rigid point, flat but thick and 

 rigid when dry, with the veins scarcely visible, f to nearly 2in. long.. 

 Eacemes short and few-flowered. Sepals lanceolate, about 5 lines long without 

 the spur, which is straight, obtuse, about 3 lines long. Petals linear, as long as 

 the sepals. Labellum nearly as long as the sepals, rather narrow to above thfr 

 middle, then expanded into a broadly ovate-triangular acute recurved lamina, 



