146 



ORCHIDACEAE. 



] 8. Crypiostylis. 



in height. The disk accommodated in a fork of the rostellum and covered by a mem- 

 branous capsule. Pollinia is 2 pairs, granular, the apices of the pairs lightly united, 

 exposed . above the anther and attached by a short caudicle to the back of the disk- 

 Terrestrial herbs with elongated underground tubers. Flowers small, sessile in a spiral 

 spike. Leaves narrow or linear, several, basal, or nearly so. 



A fairly large genus cosmopolitan in its 

 distribution ; represented in Australia by 

 a single recorded species, which extends to 

 New Zealand, and has also a wide range 

 over Asia and a portion of Europe. 



1. S. australis (southern), Lindl. (Text 

 fig. 34 A,). A slender marsh-plant with 

 the characters of the genus ; arising from 

 several (often 6) elongated conical or 

 terete tubers ; 15-45 cm. high. Leaves 

 3, 4-10 cm. long. Stem-bracts usually 

 3. Flowers white or pink, the sub- 

 tending bracts ovate, pubescent on the 

 outside, about as long as the ovary ; ovary 

 pubescent, shortly ovoid. Perianth-seg- 

 ments 4^-5 mm. long ; the petals rather 

 wider at the tips than at the base. Label- 

 lum white, more or less rectangular, the 

 lower half bulging at the base ; the tip 

 truncate, the margins fringed or glandu- 

 larly dentate : a large ovoid body on each 

 side of the lamina at the base. Column 

 about 3 mm. long, fleshy. Anther reaching 

 to about the base of the rostellum. Stig- 

 matic surface U-shaped, slightly sloping 

 downwards. The disk of the rostellum 

 slate-colored, long, narrow -elliptical (boat- 

 shaped), covered by a membranous capsule 

 derived from the rostellum. Pollinia lamel- 

 late, pear-shaped. Text-figure 34.— A. Spiranthes australis, show- 



Myponga ; Mount Compass ; Millicent ing the plant. B. Orthoceras strictum, showing 



distripf • all othpr Statps pvppnt Wp^tprn tne P lant with exception of middle of stem. 



district . all otncr states except Western c Caleana major> the plant A11 re duced in 



Australia. Jan. *eb. size;. 



18. CRYPTOSTYLIS, R. Br. 



(Greek kryitos, hidden ; stylos, the column.) 

 Flowers large, reversed. Segments of the perianth free, similar in shape, linear- 

 lanceolate or subulate. Labellum much more conspicuously developed and colored than 

 the petals and sepals, undivided, sessile, the base enclosing the column and more or less 

 contracted above the latter, lamina broad or rather narrow-convex or concave. Column 

 wide and exceedingly short, the wings forming distinct auricles or produced posteriorly 

 into a glandular or membranous process with toothed or fimbrate margins behind the 

 anther (PI. 9. i., figs. 4. 5, w.). Anther erect behind the stigma or incumbent over it, sessile, 

 2-celled, biconvex on the back, blunt or shortly acuminate at the apex. Pollinia 4, an 

 upper and a lower mass in each cell, lamellate, ovate, granular ; the apices of each pair 

 connected directly with the viscid disk of the rostellum, without the intervention of a 

 caudicle. Stigma large and fleshy, its upper border produced into a somewhat triangular 

 rostellum bearing a conspicuous viscid disk. — Terrestrial glabrous herbs with tuberous 

 rhizome. Leaves few, radical, on rigid petioles, ovate to lanceolate. Stems usually 

 with 2 or 3 appressed bracts. Flowers with a large reddish -brown, pink or purple label- 

 lum ; several in a terminal raceme. 



A small genus of 18 known species, the 4 Australian ones being endemic ; others are 

 reported from the Malay Archipelago; New Guinea; Formosa; Philippines ; New 

 Caledonia ; Fiji : and Samoa. 



1. C. longifolia (long -leaved), R. Br. (PI. 9, i. ; figs. 1-5.) Slender, 30-90 cm. >h'igh. 

 Leaves 2 or 3, on petioles 1-9 cm. long; leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, with 

 prominent midrib, 4-15 cm. in length and about 1-1^ cm. wide. Stem-bracts appressed, 

 acute, usually 3. Flowers 3-8, sessile, reversed, with large conspicuous yellowish^ brown 

 labellum and narrow lighter-colored perianth -segments. Sepals sub -equal, subulate, 

 about 2 cm. long. Petals narrower and much shorter, about 13 mm. long. Labellum 

 oblong or oblong-ovate, spreading, about 1\ cm. long (extended) and 1 cm. in 

 widest part ; margins somewhat sinuous towards the base, -depressed- about -the 



