046 ORCHIDACEAE, [Prasophyllum, 
along the median line. Column very short, not winged; but furnished 
with 2 erect lateral lobes; rostellum usually long, erect. Anther erect, 
placed behind the rostellum which often exceeds it, 2-celled; pollinia 
attached by a linear caudicle to the rostellum. 
Species about 30, all confined to Australia, with the exception of 2 from New 
Caledonia, and 4 from New Zealand, 2 of which seem to be the same as Australian 
species. The genus is closely allied to Microtis, but is at once distinguished by the 
reversed flowers and large lateral lobes to the column. 
A. Euprasophyllum. Lip sessile at the base of the column. Perianth 4-4 in. lony. 
Tall, 1-3ft. high. Flowers $-}in. Lip large, with a conspicuous 
recurved lamina; adnate plate not nearly reaching the tip .. 1. P. patens. 
Smaller, 4-12in. Flowers#in. Lip shorter, with a smaller recurved 
lip; adnate plate extending almost to the tip “sik .. 2. P. Colensoi. 
B. Genoplesium. Leaf reduced to a sheathing braet just under the spike. Lip articulated 
on to a flat ribband-like projection from the base of the column, usually mobile, 
Flowers very small, py—qy in. long. 
Perianth pointing downwards, green. Lateral sepals ovate-lanceolate, 
not tipped with a gland. Lip oblong -. .- * 
Perianth horizontal, reddish. Lateral sepals narrow - lanceolate, 
acuminate, tipped by a minute eland. Lip lanceolate 
3. P. pumilum. 
— 
P. vufum. 
1. P. patens R. Br. Prodr. (1810) 318.—Stem stout or slender, 1-3 ft. 
high. Leaf sheathing the stem half-way up or rather more, the lamina 
shorter or longer than the spike. Spike rather lax, 2-51in. long, many- 
flowered ; bracts small, broad, obtuse. Flowers 4-4 in. long, pale yellowish- 
green or whitish, sweet-scented. Ovary obovoid. Upper sepal ovate, 
acute, concave; lateral rather longer, lanceolate, quite free. Petals linear- 
oblong, obtuse. Lip sessile, as long as the sepais, erect at the base and then 
suddenly reflexed between the lateral sepals; adnate plate narrower than 
the dise and not extending much further up than the flexure of the lip; 
margins broad, thin, undulate. Column short; lateral lobes linear-oblong, 
obtuse, almost as long as the narrow erect rostellum, entire. Anther large, 
pointed, not quite equalling the rostellum.—Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. 11 (1860) 
11, t. 111; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi (1873) 339; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. FI. 
(1906) 675. 
Norrs [sranp : Auckland—Swamps at Maungatapere, Whangarei, H. Carse/ Great 
Barrier Island, 7’. Kirk! Paeroa Range, near Waiotapu, K. W. Allison! Taranaki— 
Ngaire Swamp, abundant, 7. f.C. December-—January. 
Rasily distinguished from P. Colensoi by the much greater size, larger paler 
flowers, and longer lip, which has a much more conspicuous recurved lamina, the 
adnate plate not extending to the tip.- The lateral lobes of the column are also much 
longer. It agrees well with Australian specimens of P. patens, except that the spike 
is usually denser. 
2. P. Colensoi Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 241—Stem stout or 
slender, erect, 4-14in. high. Leaf sheathing the stem for 3 its length 
or even more; lamina shorter than the spike ocr equalling it. Spike 
1-3in. long, many-flowered; bracts as short as the pedicel, broad, 
obtuse. Flowers about +in. long, dull-green or greenish-brown, slightly 
fragrant; ovary obovoid, gibbous. Upper sepal ovate-obleng, acute, 
concave ; lateral rather longer, connate at the very base, lanceolate, acute, 
curved backwards. Petals linear-oblong, obtuse. Lip shorter than the 
sepals, sessile, ovate, tip acuminate, shortly recurved, adnate plate extend- 
ing almost to the tip, margins undulate. Column very short, lateral lobes 
