CXXVII. ORCHIDE^. 1567 



32. CRYPTOSTYLIS, R. Br. 



(Prom Kri/ptos, concealed, and stylos, a column.) 



Flowers reversed. Sepals and petals nearly similar, narrow Iinear-lanceolate> 

 iihin and membranous, convolute and appearing subulate when the flower 

 opens, the petals usually smaller than the sepals. Labellum longer and thicker 

 than the sepals, undivided, sessile with a broad base enclosing the column, 

 xnore or less contracted above the column, extended into a narrow or broad 

 ■convex or concave lamina. Column exceedingly short, the wings forming 

 broad distinct auricles or connected into a membrane behind the anther, the 

 margin toothed or jagged. Anther erect against the back of the stigma or bent 

 forward over it, 2-celled, usually biconvex on the back, obtuse or shortly 

 acuminate. Pollen-masses farinaceous. — Terrestrial glabrous herbs, with a short 

 rhizome and thick fibres. Leaves few, radical, on rigid petioles, ovate to lanceo- 

 late. Flowering stems leafless, bearing 2 or more erect sheathing scales or 

 «mpty bracts. Flowers rather large, green with a brown red or purple label- 

 lum, several in a terminal raceme. Bracts acute, membranous. 



Besides the one met with in Queensland there are others in Australia, the East Indies and 

 the Indian Archipelago. The genus is nearly allied to Galochilus, differing in the rhizome and 

 foliage, and in the labellum not Mnged.—Benth. 



1. C. longifolia (leaves long), R. Br. Prod. 317; Beiith. Fl. Austr. vi. 

 853. Leaves usually 2 or 4 on rather rigid petioles of 1 to 3in. the lamina 

 oblong or lanceolate, 2 to 4in. long and erect. Scape 1 to 2ft. high, bearing 2 

 or more distant sheathing scales of about ^in. Flowers usually 3 to 6, rather 

 ■distant, nearly sessile with membranous acute bracts, the ovary narrow, longer 

 than the bract, much recurved at the end after flowering. Sepals and petals 

 very thin and membranous, their lanceolate shape only seen in the bud for the 

 margins are rolled inwards the moment the flowers expand ; dorsal sepal 

 usually about -Jin. long, the lateral sepals rather longer, the petals shorter, but 

 all otherwise similar and acute. Labellum usually about lin. long, scarcely 

 ■contracted above the short broad base which completely encloses the column 

 and has no internal raised lines, the lamina broadly oblong or ovate-oblong, 

 the .sides convolute in the bud but reflexed when the flower opens exposing 

 two raised lines forming a double keel along the centre, which commences 

 immediately above the broad base, and expands a little below the end into 2 

 thick prominent rounded auricles or lobes, and tapers beyond them almost to 

 the end of the lamina which is obtuse or shortly acuminate ; there are also 

 in the middle of the labellum 1 or 2 additional short raised lines parallel to 

 the two principal ones, the disk veined but not so strongly as in C. erecta. 

 Anther bent forward, almost hood-shaped, with a small dorsal recurved point 

 near the apex. Column-wing broad short and irregularly lobed toothed or 

 jagged, shortly continuous behind the anther. — Lindl. Gen. and Sp. Orch 445 ; 

 Bauer, IIJ. Orch. Gen. t. 17, 18 ; Endl. Iconogr. t. 17 ; Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 9, 

 4. 108 A ; Malaxis svJfulata, Labill. PI. Nov. Holl. ii. 62, t. 212 ; Cnjptostylis 

 subulata, Eeichb. f. Beitr. 15 ; Fitzg. Austr. Orch. ii. Pt. 2. 



Hab.: Not uncommon on the southern coast lands. 



33. PRASOPHYLLUM, E. Br, 



(From Prason, a leek, and phyllon, a leaf.) 



Flowers reversed. Dorsal sepal lanceolate or broad, concave, usually arched 

 over the column and sometimes adnate to it at the base ; lateral sepals as long or 

 longer, lanceolate or linear, free or more or less united ; petals Usually shorter 

 but sometimes as long as the sepals, lanceolate or linear. Labellum sessile or on 

 a short claw or claw-like basal appendage to the column, ovate-oblong or 

 lanceolate, undivided, the margins undulate-crisped or entire, usually erect and 



