158 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ava., 1898. 
In flower this plant resembles a Graptophyllum, while the seeds are like 
those of Hebalium. Not feeling quite certain as to genus, I have provisionally 
placed it in the old large genus Justicia. What I take for the variety of 
Graptophyllum hortense, var. lurido-sanguinea, is one of the plants commonly 
grown near the huts of the natives, but at the time of our visit the plants were 
out of bloom. 
Order ORCHIDEA. 
DENDROBIUM, Sw. 
D, Giulianettii (n. sp). (After A. Giulianetti, Naturalist to the New Guinea 
Government.) Plant often large, but seen at times flowering when only about 
6 in. to 1 ft. high and with few stems. Stems attaining 2 or 3 ft., some- 
what slender at the base, above which swelling to a diameter of over 1 in., 
then tapering towards the apex, often more or less purple; the upper 
portion, which is the principal part of the stem, more or less compressed. 
Leaves about 4 on the flowering stems, coriaceous, 4 or 5 in. long, slightly 
tapering from a broad base to an emarginate apex. Peduncles from the axils 
of the lower leaves, with rhachis 6 to 9 in. long; sheathing bracts 3 or 4 
lines long, obtuse-apiculate, with numerous prominent ribs; bracts subtending 
the pedicels lanceolate; racemes containing about six flowers. Pedicels, 
including the ovary, 1 to 14 in. long. Sepals and petals 1 in. long, 3 lines 
broad, linear-lanceolate, slightly recurved, not curled, light-brown, striated; the 
lateral sepals somewhat constricted at the base, then forming a rather small 
spur. Labellum long as the other segments, the face closely marked with 
dark-brown forked lines; lateral-lobes erect, incurved, enclosing the column, 
middle-lobe ovate-apiculate, with undulate margins; disk plates 3 or 5, between 
the lateral lobes, three extending half-way up. the middle lobe. Column very 
shortand broad, Anther-lid very small, tomentose. Pollen-masses very large, 
lifting the lid even before the flower expands. Fruit probably large, not seen 
quite ripe, oval-oblong, with 3 very prominent and 3 intermediate ribs. 
Hab. : On trees, Huldicott Bay, New Guinea. 
This species seems to approach D. Mirbelianum, Gaudich. 
The present species, while not remarkable for great beauty of flower, is 
of interest from what seems to me an unusual mode of fertilisation. As noted 
in the above description, the pollen-masses are very large in comparison to the 
anther-lid. It would seem, therefore, from examinations of the flowers from 
the bud to the fully developed bloom, that the pollen-masses are pushed out 
from under the lid by their increasing size just previous to the flower expanding, 
and are thus attached by their thick ends only, for I found in all the fully 
‘ opened flowers which I examined the four masses of pollen in pairs one below 
the other, their smaller ends curving upwards, thus giving to the stigma the 
appearance of being furnished with 4 horns, the most remarkable feature 
being that the pollen-masses thus attached do not become absorbed and wither 
away, but become a firm cellular substance. Thus it is seen that each flower 
in this species is fertilised by its own pollen just previous to the flower 
expanding. The above I found to be the habit of this plant at its native 
habitat; it now remains to be seen if the same occurs under cultivation. 
D. breviracemosum (n. sp.) ‘The erect stems 6 to 12 in. high, somewhat 
fusiform, closely and sharply fluted, glossy where not covered with leaf- 
sheath ; usually crowned with 3 ovate-oblong coriaceous leaves 5 or 6 in. long 
and obliquely apiculate. Peduncles 12 to 15 in. long, erect, terete except 
near the top, where it becomes slightly angular, terminating in a raceme of 
from 1 to 1;in. Empty bracts 4, obtuse, 4 lines long on the lower part of the 
peduncle, the upper ones and those subtending the pedicels obtusely 3-angular 
and only about 2 lines long. Pedicels 14 in. long. Flowers in each raceme 
about 6, yellowish, with a tinge of green, of somewhat coriaceous texture, 
