56 
The Queensland Naturalist June 1947 
A MISSING PTEROSTYLIS 
By the Rev. H. M. R. Rupp, N'orthbridge, New South Wales. 
Twenty-one years ago Mrs. H. Curtis, then Miss Hilda 
Geissmann of “Capo di Monte,” Tamborine Mountain, sent me 
two specimens of a Pterostylis which 1 have always consid- 
ered to be an undescribed species. Unfortunately Mrs. Curtis — 
partly through leaving her old home and partly from other 
causes — has never been able to send me further material, and 
I am now appealing to orchid lovers of southern Queensland 
to keep a look-out for this little Greenhood, in order that it 
may be given a place in the Queensland orchid flora. That the 
two specimens sent were not merely abnormal forms of some 
other species seems certain, for the plant was well known to 
the sender, who had bestowed upon it the appropriate vernac- 
ular name of “Antelope Orchid.” It seems to be most nearly 
related to P. obtusa R.Br., but the shortly acute labellum 
exceptionally large stigma, and other features clearly dis- 
tinguish it from that species. Following is a description com- 
piled from the specimens in my herbarium : 
A slender plant about 12-15 cm high. Basal leaves not seen. 
Stem leaves 2-3, lanceolate: floral bract precisely similar to 
the stem leaves. Flower solitary, about 27 mm long round 
the curve of the galea, which is filiform towards the apex and 
slightly deeurved. Lateral sepals erect, slightly gibbous at the 
sinus between their free portions, which are extended high 
above the galea into filiform points. Petals acute. Labellum 
irregularly oblong, abruptly acute at the apex: appendage 
small, pinnate- Column with long and rather narrow wings; 
stigma very large and conspicuous. FI. May- 
Should any readers of this journal find specimens agree- 
ing with these details. I shall be very grateful if they could 
be sent either direct to me (24 Kameruka Road, Northbridge, 
N.S.W.) or to Mr. T. E. Hunt, 15 Challinor St., Ipswich. 
REVIEWS 
“An Explorer and his Birds, John Gilbert’s Discoveries in 
1844-45” by A. H. Chisholm (Brown, Prior, Anderson Pty. Ltd-, 
Melbourne) — This book of 38 pages is devoted chiefly to an 
account of the ornithological work accomplished by John Gilbert 
during Leichhardt’s Expedition from the Darling Downs to Port 
Essington in 1844-45. The material for the. book was provided 
by Gilbert’s diary which bad apparently remained unread un- 
til discovered by Mr. Chisholm in a Hampshire village in 1938 
■while searching for documents left by John Gould- Gilbert first 
came to Australia with Gould in 1838 and remained for two 
and a half years, during which time he established for himself 
a high reputation as an active and reliable field ornithologist. 
His field observations formed the basis for much of Gould’s 
work. He returned to Australia in 1842 and in September 1844 
