384 BOTANY OF NORTH-EASTERN NEW SOUTH AVALES, 



monumental work on Australian orchids. Two of the most 

 remarkable and largest Australian species are Galeola cassythoides 

 Reichb., and G.foliata F.v.M., which may be regarded as sapro- 

 phytes. Both are of climbing habit, the latter being much more 

 robust, with stems often ascending for a considerable distance 

 the tallest trees. Its panicles are much longer and its flowers 

 much larger than those of the former species. G. foliata F.v.M., 

 has capsules seven to eight inches long, and on that account is 

 popularly called " Native Vanilla." Of the epiphytes, several 

 species of Dendrobium and Sarcochilus are cultivated in many 

 bush-houses in the neighbourhood of Sydney. Most admirers of 

 terrestrial orchids grow the popular Phaius grandifolius Lour., 

 and Galanthe veratrifolia R.Br. There are two varieties of the 

 former species which are also well worth cultivating. On the 

 sides of several of the mountain ranges and in some of the 

 valleys, many of the dwarf terrestrial species are common, and at 

 their flowering period are a charming sight. There is a white- 

 flowering variety of Dipodium punctatum R.Br., which, as far as 

 I have observed, is rare. The flowers of several orchids vary 

 considerably both in size and colour in the same species. Dory- 

 anthes excelsa Correa, is the tallest of the indigenous Amaryllidece, 

 its stem being often twenty feet high, and in the typical form 

 surmounted by a dense globular head of large, red flowers. Mr. 

 Walter Hill, late Colonial Botanist of Queensland, discovered a 

 white-flowering variety on Mount Lindsay, but it appears to be 

 rare, as no subsequent botanist or botanical collector has since 

 found it there. Crinum pedunculatum R.Br., fairly common on 

 the banks of rivers and creeks and in swampy situations, is very 

 conspicuous when in bloom, having numerous large white flowers 

 with a delicate perfume. One of the rarest and most beautiful 

 flowering plants of this Order is Eurycles cunninghamii Ait. It 

 has large, ovate leaves on long petioles, and a scape about one 

 foot high, bearing an umbel of from six to ten rather large, white 

 flowers. Dioscoridece have two genera and species, one, Dioscorea 

 transversa R.Br., is a twining plant producing large tubers, which 

 are excellent eating when properly cooked. It is fairly common on 



