5. Prasophyllum. ORCHID ACEAE. 123 



than the lateral ones. Labellum sessile, oblong, with crisped or irregular margins ; tip 

 quite blunt, or more or less emarginate ; lamina with 2 raised callous thickenings at the 

 base and a central one (Plate 6, ii., cat.) near the tip ; about the same length as the lateral 

 sepals. Column about 1 mm. long. Anther 2-celled, with minute point, hemispherical ; 

 auricles (fig. 4, e.) quite distinct, blunt, reaching about half way up the sides of the anther. 

 Stigma prominent, semiorbicular. Rostellum viscid, conspicuous. Pollinia 2, each very 

 deeply bilobed, friable, attached by a moderately long caudicle to the rostellum ; easily 

 detached with the disk when fresh. 



N.P. Very common. Recorded as far north as Crystal Brook ; also in all other 

 Australian States. Oct. -Dec. 



2. M. parviflora {small-flowered), R. Br. Slender, 7-45 cm. high. Leaf -lamina leek- 

 like, usually much exceeding the inflorescence. Flowers green, on short pedicels, smaller 

 than those of M. porrifolia, commonly in a fairly dense spike, but the latter often attenu- 

 ated. Dorsal sepal galeate, ovate, with a short recurved point, nearly 2 mm. long ; 

 lateral sepals shorter, about If mm., oblong, rather blunt, recurved or rarely revolute. 

 Petals blunt, oblong-linear, erect, partly hidden by the dorsal sepal, about 1-3 mm. long. 

 Labellum oblong, ovate -oblong or ovate, with rounded or sometimes rectangular tip, 

 about 1^ mm. long ; recurved or simply reflexed, with 2 elongated elliptical callosities 

 at the base ; margins entire and quite smooth. Column hardly 1 mm. long, with a distinct 

 and rather prominent rounded auricle on each side of the anther. Anther hemispherical. 

 Pollinia 2, each bilobed, attached to the viscid disk by a very short caudicle. Stigma 

 semilunar, situated transversely between the auricles. 



N.P. ; Bridge water ; Myponga ; also all other States. Dec. 



3. M. orbicularis (disk-shaped labellum), Rogers. A very slender species, 15-30 cm. 

 high. Leaf -lamina shorter than the spike, the fistula situated just below the latter at 

 a characteristic angulation in the stem. Spike not crowded, and with a flatter appearance 

 than in other members of the genus. Flowers green, minute, sessile. Dorsal sepal 

 obtuse galeate, gradually narrowing towards the base, about 1£ mm. long ; lateral sepals 

 about same length, linear-oblong, blunt, concealed below the labellum. Petals rather 

 narrower than the lateral sepals, about 1J mm. long, spreading transversely, slightly 

 recurved. Labellum orbicular, margin entire, lamina somewhat concave, reflexed, about 

 as long as the lateral sepals. Column very minute, about £ mm. high, with distinct 

 linear auricles. Rostellum protuberant, as a dark-green dot. Anther 2-celled, galeate. 

 Pollinia attached to rostellum by a rather long caudicle. 



Myponga ; Mount Julian. Early Nov. 



4. M. atrata (blackened, in allusion to the dark color of the dried plants), Lindl. A 

 minute species, 3-9 mm. high, Leaf-fistula close to the inflorescence, lamina exceeding 

 the latter in length. The whole of the living plant including the flowers a yellowish- 

 green color. Flowers very minute in a somewhat dense spike of 1-3 cm. long ; ovary 

 tumid, sessile. Dorsal sepal very obtuse, widely galeate, about 0-8 mm. long ; lateral 

 sepals oblong, blunt, spreading but not recurved, nearly as long as the dorsal sepal. Petals 

 rather shorter than lateral sepals but similar, spreading. Labellum about 0-8 mm. 

 long ; oblong or quadrate ; spreading or reflexed ; the tip quite blunt ; margins entire ; 

 lamina with 2 longitudinal lines, no callosities. Column about 0-6 mm. high, rather 

 rugose and glandular. Anther hemispherical, 2-celled. Auricles fairly long. Pollinia 

 2, each bilobed, connected directly with viscid disk ; no caudicle. Stigma semilunar ; 

 rostellum showing as a dark-green dot in upper border. — M. minuti flora, F. v. M. 



N.P. and other parts of Mount Lofty Range in damp places ; Myponga ; Mount 

 Gambier ; also in Victoria ; Tasmania ; and Western Australia. Nov. 



■ 5. PRASOPHYLLUM, R. Br. 

 (Greek prawn, a leek ; phyllon. a leaf.) 

 Flowers reversed. Dorsal sepal lanceolate, or broad and acute, concave, sometimes 

 erect and arched over the column, more frequently recurved ; lateral sepals as long or 

 longer, usually more or less lanceolate, free or partially united (connate). Petals shorter, 

 lanceolate or linear. Labellum sessile or attached by a short claw to the base of the 

 column ; ovate, oblong or lanceolate ; undivided ; margins of lamina crisped, ciliate 

 denticulate or entire; its surface with a longitudinal central callus (PL 6, iii., 7, col.) 

 occasionally with free margins ; usually erect and concave at the base, recurved towards 

 the end. Column very short below the anther ; its margins produced into 2 erect lateral 

 appendages (figs. 8, 9. av.) usually adnate to the basal margins of the stigmatic-plate.* 

 Anther 2-celled, erect behind the stigmatic-plate ; the rostellum often produced beyond 

 it, but sometimes shorter. Pollinia 2, each bilobed, sectile, attached by a linear 

 caudicle to the glandular disk of the rostellum. Terrestrial glabrous herbs with ovoid 

 or globular tubers. Leaf solitary ; lamina terete, but in the diminutive members of the 



*A vertical plate in front of the anther, consisting of a basal portion or expanded style, and an 

 upper portion bearing the stigma and rostellum. 



