122 ORCHID ACEAE. 4. Microtis. 



14. T. antennifera (antennae-bearing ; referring to the lateral appendages of the column), 

 Hook, f . Stouter than T. flexuosa, generally 12-20 cm. high. Leaf terete and rather long, 

 stem wiry, zig-zag ; stem-bracts 2, situated at angles of flexion. Flowers large, 1-3, 

 yellow, opening freely, sweet-scented. Perianth -segments yellow on the inside, the 

 sepalar ones with wide reddish-brown stripe externally, elliptical or oblong-elliptical, 

 about 15-16 mm. long. Column erect and rather wide, not hooded, broadly winged ; 

 the wings produced laterally into 2 erect dark-brown smooth spathulate usually bilobed 

 appendages, much longer than the anther, the part between the appendages not produced 

 behind the anther. Anther 2-celled, situated wholly above the stigma, its apex produced 

 into a broad thick curved pubescent blunt process. Stigma transversely oval, situated 

 low down on the column ; rostellum conspicuous in its upper border. Pollinia 2, each 

 bilobed, attached directly or by a very short caudicle to the viscid disk. 



N.P. ; very common, widely disseminated ; also in Victoria ; Tasmania ; and Western 

 Australia. Sept. -Oct. 



15. T. Macmillanii (after its discoverer, Thomas Macmillan, of Melbourne), F. v. M. 

 Slender, 12-20 cm. high. Leaf narrow -linear, channelled, 5-9 cm. long. Stem slender, 

 wiry, and usually slightly flexuose. Flowers large, salmon-red, 1-3, expanding freely. 

 Perianth-segments elliptical or oblong-elliptical, about 12-16 mm. long, occasionally 

 still smaller. Column erect, 6-7 mm. high ; the wings produced laterally into 2 tall erect 

 yellow lanceolate appendages with serrate margins and smooth surfaces, not produced 

 behind the anther where they form a deep sinus. Anther and stigma as in T. antennifera. 



N.P. and other parts of Mount Lofty Range ; Yatala Vale ; Yallum ; Burnside ; 

 Ooolwa ; also Victoria. Sept. -Oct. 



16. T. venosa (veined, referring to perianth -segments), R. Br. A slender species, 

 usually 15-75 cm. high. Leaf narrow-linear, channelled, often extending beyond middle 

 of scape. Stem rather sinuous. Flowers large, blue, on long slender pedicels, 1-5. 

 Perianth-segments rather thin and veined ; outer ones slightly longer than the inner, 

 about 13-14 mm. long ; labellum more differentiated than in other members of the genus, 

 usually ovate or nearly orbicular, about 12 mm. long and 7|-9£ mm. wide. Column 

 erect, about 5 mm. long, widely winged, not hooded ; wings produced laterally into 2 

 blunt erect spirally involute appendages, not ciliate or roughened, not produced at the 

 back of anther. Anther very protuberant, overhanging the stigma ; its apex pro- 

 longed and bifid, about as high as the lateral appendages. Pollinia unconnected with 

 the rostellum. Stigma placed obliquely below the anther, its upper margin bicuspidate. 



In swampy country at Myponga and Mount Compass ; also in New South Wales, 

 Victoria, and Tasmania. Dec. 



4. MICROTIS, R. Br. 



(Greek mikros, small ; ous, an ear.) 

 Flowers small, numerous, in a terminal spike. Dorsal sepal hooded, erect, broad ; 

 lateral sepals approximating to it in length, lanceolate or oblong, spreading or recurved. 

 Petals shorter or nearly equal in length to sepals, incurved or spreading. Labellum 

 sessile, obtuse, truncate or emarginate, oblong, ovate or orbicular ; lamina with callosities 

 at the base or along the centre, or quite smooth. Column very short and relatively wide, 

 nearly terete with a small wing or auricle (PL 6, ii., fig. 4, e) on each side of anther. Anther 

 erect, 2-celled. Pollen-masses 2, each bilobed, granular, caudicle often very short 

 or sometimes absent. Terrestrial glabrous herbs, with small underground tubers. Leaf 

 solitary, lamina elongate and terete. 



The genus has representatives in New Zealand ; New Caledonia ; Java ; Philippines ; 

 Formosa ; and China. Nine species have been recorded in Australia, 7 of these being 

 endemic. 



Lateral sepals recurved or revolute in the mature flower. 

 Labellum emarginate at tip ; 2 well-defined callosities at 



the base, and 1 near the tip M. porrifolia 1. 



Labellum entire : 2 well-defined callosities at base, none 



at tip M . parviflora 2. 



Lateral sepals spreading, not recurved or revolute. 



Labellum orbicular ; lateral sepals acute and linear, 



hidden by labellum M. orbicularis 3. 



Labellum oblong or quadrate ; lateral sepals very blunt, 



not bidden M. atrata 4. 



1. M. porrifolia (leek-leaved), Spreng. (PL 6, ii., figs. 4, 5.) Of variable habit, but 

 usually more robust than other members of the genus ; sometimes quite short but com- 

 monly upwards of 20 cm. Leaf -lamina leek-like and often exceeding the inflorescence. 

 Flowers green, small, numerous in a dense terminal spike, but occasionally distant in a 

 slender spike. Dorsal sepal erect, shortly acuminate, galeate, broadly ovate, usually 

 exceeding 2 mm. ; lateral sepals slightly shorter, spreading, recurved, oblong, rather 

 blunt. Petals oblong erect, partially concealed by the dorsal sepal, shorter and narrower 



