1562 CXXVII. ORCHIDE^. [Het<Ena. 



1. H. tenuis (thin), Benth. in Jouni. Linn. Soc. xviii. 345. Stem weak 

 including the peduncle about 12 or 15in. long, leafy lower portion about 5in. 

 long, arising from a rootstock of thick woolly roots. Leaves 1^ to Sin. long, 

 elliptic-oblong to ovate-lanceolate the petiole portion between the lamina and 

 sheath flat developing into a very loose sheath ; peduncle about 7in. long bearing 

 2 bracts loos3 and scarious, clothed with woolly hairs, the terminal spike about 

 Sin. long, the bracts almost subulate, and with the rhachis, ovaries and perianths 

 woolly-hairy. Lateral sepals rather broad, about IJ line long. Labellum 

 scarcely if at all connate with the column, nearly as long as the lateral sepals, 

 broadly oblong, very concave, very obtuse, the margins and end inflexed, entire 

 or slightly crisped. Anther and rostellum- about equal in length and half as long 

 as the labellum. — Ramphiclia tenuis, Lindl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. i. 182 ; Benth. 

 Fl. Austr. vi. 812. 



Hab.: Maebay, Rockingham Bay, J. Dallachy ; Barron Eiver, E. Cowley ; Bellenden-Ker 

 EangB. 



30. THELYMITRA, Forst. 



(Alluding to the hooded column.) 



Sepals and petals all nearly equal and spreading. Labellum similar to the 

 sepals and petals and spreading with them. Column erect, ratlier short, very 

 broadly winged, the wings either reaching to the base of the anther with an 

 erect usually thick entire lateral lobe or appendage on each side of it, or 

 dilated at the end and united behind the anther, sometimes extended into a 

 bread lobed hood over it, the lateral lobes often penieillate or crested, the 

 wings below the anther embracing the column but open in front except at 

 the base where they are united and sometimes are produced into a short 

 tooth between the labellum and column. Anther erect or bent forward between 

 the lateral lobes or under the hood ; the cells distinct, the connective produced 

 into a broad appendage sometimes elongated and entire or shortly bifid ; pollen- 

 masses granular, without any or with a very small eaudicle. — Terrestrial herbs, 

 glabrous or very rarely pubescent on the leaf-sheaths, with ovoid underground 

 tubers. Leaf solitary, usually with a rather long sheath, the lamina linear, 

 lanceolate or rarely almost ovate, often rather thick, but not terete ; empty 

 bracts 1 or 2 along the stem. Flowers usually several in a terminal raceme, 

 sometimes reduced to 1 or 2, blue purple red or yellow, occasionally with 

 white varieties. 



Sl^ecies of this geous are met with in New Zealand, New Caledonia, and the Indian Archi- 

 pelago, but principally in Australia. It is remarkable for the labellum perfectly resembling and 

 taking its place as one of the petals, and quite detached from the column, from which it is 

 separated by the annular base of the wing. — Benth. 



Sect. 1. Cucullaria. — Colnmn-ioing produced hehind and beyond the anther into a broad 

 hood occr it, variously lobed or fringed at the top. 



Hood with the 2 extreme lateral lobes penieillate (bearing a tuft of eillia). 

 Flowers usually blue or purple. 

 Hood with 3 short denticulate or fringed lobes between the penoillate ones 

 and shorter than them. 



Middle lobe of the hood crested on the back 1. T. ixioides. 



Hood with 1 entire or bifid lobe between the penieillate ones, usually longer 

 than them, broad and concave. 

 Hood smooth on the back, leaf linear. 

 Plant, usually slender, with narrow leaves. Middle lobe of the hood 



scarcely notched and entire 2. T. longifoUa. 



1. T. ixiodes (Ixia-like), Siv. in K. Akad. Stockh. Handl. 1800, 228, t. 8 L, 

 and in Schrad. Ne^l. Journ. 58, t. 1 L ; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 317. Stem usually 

 above 1ft. high, with 1 long linear or linear-lanceolate flat or channelled leaf, 

 and 1 or 2 shorter ones, and s:-— -' a„„^..r, r,„,;;„Qii<,f.Q \n a race^mp. of 4 to 6in., 



