Gastrodia.] CXXVII. OECHIDEiB. 1589 



margins undulate, the disk with 2 longitudinal raised lines or plates confluent 

 upwards into a single one. Column elongated, the apex concave, with a mem- 

 branous margin. Anthers lid-like, incunibent, very shortly stipitate, deciduous, 

 the cells contiguous. Pollen granular. Stigma on a short protuberance at the 

 toase of the column. — Herbs parasitical on roots, leafless and not green. Scapes 

 simple, erect, with short loosely sheathing scales. Flowers white, in a terminal 

 raceme. 



The Australian species are endemic. 



■Stems 12 to 18in. high 1. G. sessameideg. 



Stems only a few inches high 2, G. ovata. 



1. G-. sesamoides (Sesamum-like), Ti. Br. Prod. 330; Benth. Fl. Austr. vi. 

 309. Stems 1 to lAft. high, the sheathing scales loose and very obtuse or shortly 

 acute,' 2 to 3 lines long, approximate at the base of the stem, distant higher up. 

 Eaceme erect, usually 1 to 4in. long, but sometimes much longer. Bracts 

 scarious, very broad and obtuse, shorter than the pedicels. Flowers white or 

 brownish outside on pedicels of 2 or 3 lines. Perianth varying from 6 to 8 lines 

 long, the lobes short and broad. Labellum scarcely shorter than the perianth, 

 broadly oblong, very obtuse, much undulate. Column nearly as long as the 

 labellum, angular, the basal stigmatic protuberance very prominent. Capsule 

 •obovoid-turbinate. — Endl. Iconogr. t. 5 ; Lindl. Gen, and Sp. Orch. 384 ; Hook. 

 i. Fl. Tasm. ii. 31, t. 126 (the stigmatic protuberance overlooked by the artist); 

 JReichb. f. Beitr. 44; Fitzg. Austr. Orch. ii., Pfc. 5. 



Hab.: In a few southern localities. 



2. G; ovata (ovate). Bail. Hot. Bull. xiv. Creeping stems about l^^in. long, 

 ■deep-green, fleshy, constricted at the nodes, almost moniliform, internodes 6i 

 very irregular form. Flowering stems very slender, about Sin. high, clothed by 

 Tveak hairs, usually bearing at the base 1 to 3 ovate-acuminate or cordate leaves, 

 ■6 to 12 lines long, petioles somewhat broad, sheathing base short and loose ; 

 between these and the flowers are usually 1 or 2 oblong or lanceolate, loose scales. 

 Flowers about 3, almost sessile, their subtending bracts narrow-lanceolate. 

 Perianth campanulate, lobed by the free upper portions of the segments ; the 

 ■outside somewhat furfuraceous, dirty-white stained with red, scarcely exceeding 3 

 lines. Labellum on a rather long claw, lamina broadly oblong, margins 

 undulate, bearing on the disk two dark thick lines, merging into 1 on the claw. 

 •Column short except for a long terminal appendage. Anther large, giving a 

 gibbous appearance to the dried perianth. Pollen copious, yellow. Capsule 

 •ovoid-oblong about 5 lines long. Seeds long, narrow-winged. 



Hab.: Mountain Range, near Cairns, L. J. Nugent. 



The specimens received of this plant were somewhat imperfect, therefore some doubt remains 

 as to genus. 



48. EPIPOGUM, Gmel. 



Sepals and petals free, nearly equal, narrow, erect or spreading. Labellum 

 sessile, large, ovate, concave, with a short obtuse spur at the base. Column very 

 short, the margin membranous. Anther lid-like, with a large thick terminal 

 appendage. Pollen-masses 2, granular, attached to the gland by long caudicles. 

 Leafless terrestrial herbs, with a thick and fleshy or branching and coral-like 

 rhizome. Scapes simple ascending or erect, with a few scarious scales, not 

 green. Flowers white (or sometimes pink ?) in a terminal raceme usually 

 nodding or pendulous. 



The genus has very few species scattered in few individuals over a great part of the Old 

 "World, The onlv Australian one is also in tropical Asia and Africa. 



