Corymbis.] OXXVII. ORCHIDE^. 155& 



in 2 masses attached by a oaudiole to a peltate gland. — Tall terrestrial herbs^ 

 with a fibrous rhizome. Leaves large, strongly ribbed. Flowers in short 

 axillary somewhat corymbose panicles, the column persistent on the capsule. 



The genus extends over tropical Asia and Africa, and appears also to be represented in 

 Brazil. The Australian speoies exiends over the Indian Archipelago and into East India. 



1. C. veratrifolia (Veratrum-leaved), Reichh. f. in Flora 1865, 184; F,enth.. 

 Fl. Anstr. vi. 811. Stems erect or somewhat climbing, attaining 2 to 4 feet. 

 Leaves distichous, oblong-elliptical, acuminate, 6 to lOin. long and 2 to 3 broad, 

 very strongly ribbed, tapering into a rather short sheathing petiole. Flowers 

 white, in spreading axillary panicles not half so long as the leaves, erect and 

 almost sessile along its spreading branches. Bracts linear-lanceolate, rarely |^in. 

 long. Sepals and petals nearly fin. long, the dorsal one rather broader at the 

 base than the others, more erect and concave. Labellum rather longer than the 

 sepals, broadly lanceolate, concave, about 2 lines broad, with entire margins, 

 slightly dilated at the end into short broad acute crisped lamina ; the disk with 

 2 long raised lines, curving outwards on the lamina and ending in small 

 callosities. Column at the time of flowering as long as the sepals, and not 

 elongated afterwards, persisting on the capsule after the sepals and petals have 

 fallen. Capsule narrow oblong about lin. long strongly ribbed. — ConjinhorcMs 

 veratnfuUa, Blume, Orchid. 125, t. 42, 43. 



Hab.: Found in most of the northern coastal scrubs. 



25. ANCECTOCHILUS, Blume. 



[Anoiktos, open, and cheilos, a lip.) 



Sepals free, dorsal smaller and forming a hood with the narrow acuminata 

 petals, lateral spreading. Labellum adnate to the base of the column, contracted 

 into an entire toothed or pectinate claw beyond the saccate spurred base, and 

 having 2 rarely 4 terminal wing-like lobes ; spur exserted beyond the bases of the 

 sepals, and with 2 oalli within. Column short, appendaged in front, stigmatic 

 lobes lateral ; anther 2-celled ; pollen-masses narrowed into short or long 

 caudicles. — Terrestrial herbs. Stems below, creeping. Leaves petiolate, ovate 

 or lanceolate. Flowers in glandular pubescent spikes. 



Species Indian and Malayan. 



Leafy short specimens of what will most probably prove a species of the above genus have 

 been sent me from the Trinity Bay Banges. 



26. SPIRANTHES, Eich. 



(From speira, a spire, and anthos, a flower.) 



Dorsal sepal and petals erect, connivent or slightly coherent in an upper 

 lip or galea, or the ends alone spreading. Lateral sepals free and more spread- 

 ing, all nearly equal. Labellum sessile or nearly so, embracing the column by 

 its broad base, undivided, often dilated at the end, the disk with 2 tubercles 

 at the base. Column short, with a small erect appendage or lobe on each 

 side. Anther erect ; pollen-masses 4, granular or meally, sessile on a gland. 

 Rostellum short, bifid. — Terrestrial herbs, with oblong underground tubers or 

 thick clustered fibres. Flowers small, spirally arranged in a terminal spike. 

 Stems leafy, or sometimes at the time of flowering with sheathing scales only. 



A considerable genus generally diffused over the temperate and tropical regions of the 

 globe; the only Australian species has a wide range over Asia and a part of Europe. 



1. S. australis (Australian), Lindl. Gen. and Sp. Orch. 464; Benth. Fl.. 

 Attstr. 314. Rhizome short, with a cluster of thick fibres or oblong tubers. 

 Stems glabrous below the inflorescence, 6in. to above 1ft. high. Lower leaves . 



