14. Glossodia. ORCHID ACEAE. 141 



17. C. deformis (mis-shapen), R. Br. Slightly hairy, 6-15 cm. high. Leaf almost 

 glabrous, linear-lanceolate, 5-6 cm. long and 4 mm. wide. Flower solitary, deep blue, 

 occasionally white. Perianth -segments light-colored on the outside with many scattered 

 minute purple glands, spreading with exception of the dorsal sepal, which is generally 

 erect or recurved. Dorsal sepal about 19 mm. long, not very acute, elliptic -lanceolate, 

 5-nerved ; lateral sepals not so long, about 17 mm., falco-lanceolate. Petals sometimes 

 erecto-patent, obliquely oblong-lanceolate, about as long as the lateral sepals. Labellum 

 contracted towards the base, sessile, about 11 mm. long (when extended) and 7 mm. wide ; 

 obcuneate, its lower two-thirds erect, clasping the sides of the column ; obscurely 3-lobed ; 

 the lateral lobes toothed anteriorly, their margins otherwise entire, not very prominent ; 

 middle lobe triangular recurved, dark purple, fringed with dentate calli ; calli of lamina 

 linear or slightly clubbed, in 4-6 rather ill-defined rows, not quite extending to the extreme 

 tip, somewhat crowded, those at the base tomentose. Column about 10 mm. long, 

 incurved, winged throughout, broadly so in its upper-half ; the wings united shortly in 

 front of the base ; more or less purple with deep purple dots and markings. Anther with 

 a long acute point. Pollinia 4, free, lamellate, elongate crescentic. 



N.P. Very widely distributed, certainly extending as far north as Pichi Richi Pass near 

 Quorn and possibly into Central Australia ; as far west as Yeelanna in Eyre Peninsula 

 and south to Robe ; Millicent ; Mount Gambier ; Kangaroo Island. It also occurs in all 

 the other States except Queensland. July-Aug. 



18. C. tutelata (guardian, protecting ; referring to the tall sentinal calli at the base of 

 labellum), Rogers. Slender, almost glabrous, 15-22 cm. high. Leaf oblong or oblong- 

 lanceolate, very slightly hairy, about 8 cm. long and 6 mm. wide. Flower solitary, dark 

 blue, about the size and color of a well-developed Glossodia major. Perianth-segments 

 lighter-colored on the outside, dotted with minute dark purple glands, subequal, all 

 spreading with exception of the dorsal sepal, not very acute. Dorsal sepal about 2- lcm. 

 long, elliptic -lanceolate, erect or slightly incurved, blunter than the other segments ; 

 lateral sepals rather wider, elliptic -lanceolate ; petals about the same width as the lateral 

 sepals but slightly shorter, falco-lanceolate. Labellum undivided, on a very short claw, 

 almost sessile, ovate, about 11 mm. long and 5| mm. wide, the apex acute, margins entire 

 except for very minute denticulations near the tip ; basal half erect clasping the 

 column ; thereafter gradually recurved. Calli of the lamina of the golf-stick type, 

 the filaments purple or white, heads white or yellow, generally in 2 well-defined rows as 

 far as the middle ; thereafter of less regular distribution and shape, sometimes sessile ; 

 occasionally reduced to a few tall basal calli ; 4 tall sentinel calli of the golf -stick type, 

 about 3 mm. long, attached to the extreme base of the lamina standing vertically in 

 front of the column, sometimes quite free, sometimes with a tendency to cohere or fuse 

 so as to form 2 broad-filamented double-headed calli. Column about 10 mm. long, erect, 

 nob much incurved, broadly winged in its upper hal f , narrowly winged below ; dorsal 

 surface pubescent. Anther with a long point (nearly 2 mm.). 



Blackwood. Sept. 



14. GLOSSODIA, R. Br. 



(Greek glossodes, tongue-shaped.) 



Perianth-segments nearly equal, spreading. Labellum (PI. 8, iii., fig. 9) sessile, undivided, 

 margin entire, its lamina without glands calli or plates, but at its base 2 (sometimes 

 fused) linear clubbed calli or appendages (figs. 10, 11, ap.) erect against the column, and 

 from half to nearly its whole length. Column erect, incurved, 2-winged. Anther erect, 

 2-celled, the outer valves broad, the inner much smaller, the connective produced into a 

 small point. Pollinia 4, lamellar, unconnected with the rostellum, granular. — Terrestrial 

 herbs, more or less hairy, growing from small underground tubars. Leaf solitary, radical, 

 oblong or lanceolate, from within a scarious sheath close to the ground. Flowers 1 or 2, 

 blue or purple on an erect scape with a sheathing bract at or near the middle and a similar 

 bract under each pedicel. 



A small genus of 5 known species, endemic to Australia. 



1. G. major (the larger Glossodia), R. Br (PI. 8, iii.). Slender, hairy, 10-25 cm. high. 

 Leaf solitary, hairy, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 3-7 cm. long. Flowers 1 or 2, usually 

 purple, rarely white. Perianth-segments all spreading ; subequal, 20-25 mm. long, and 

 6-10 mm. wide, their bases white with purple dots, elliptic-lanceolate, not very acute, 

 outer surface light -colored and glandular-hairy. Labellum (fig. 9) sessile with a contracted 

 base, ovate -lanceolate, 10-11 mm. long and 5 mm. wide ; the posterior part white and 

 pubescent ; at first erect, but soon recurved forward, dilated laterally into 2 convexities 

 or bosses with a furrow between them ; the anterior half purple, glabrous, margins entire ; 

 a large purple sigmoid linear appendage (figs. 10, 11 ap.), with a broad fleshy-yellow bilobed 

 head at the extreme base, erect against the column. Column erect in its lower part, 

 incurved above, 9-10 mm. long ; broadly winged, especially in its upper part. Anther 

 with acute point. 



N.P. ; rather widely distributed from Angaston to Mount Gambier ; not reported from 

 western parts, nor from Kangaroo Island ; also in all Eastern States, including Tasmania. 

 Sept. -Oct. 



