6. Sepalo, lateralia basi saccata. Tolitm e lo n g a tm n .................................................P. lutescens.
13. Sepala lateralia libera.
7. Sepala lateralia apicem versus unideutata. Labelli lamella adnata, apice abrupte
t e rm in a ta ..................................................................................................................p , truncaium.
8. ie p a ia la te ra lia ap ice in te g ra . lam in a a d n a ta , bic av in a ta , ap ice ev an id a . P. patens.
2. Ge n o p l e s iu m .—Sepala la te r a lia p o s tico lo u g io ra . Labellum lo n g iu s im g u icu la tum . Columna sep alo d orsali
a d n a ta . Staminodia bifida. Anthera ro s tr a ta . Aphylla, tu b e rib u s ap ice v a g in a tis , sc ap o su p e rn e 1 -b ra ctea to .
A. Labelli margo integra v. erosa, non fimbiiata.
9. Rraciea a spica remota. Z’tores horizontales. lateralia basi saccata. Staminodia
subæqualiter bifida ................................................................................. P. I
10. Bractea basin spicæ attingeus. Plorcs horizontales. Sepala lateralia basi non
saccata. Staminodia subæqualiter b i f i d a ........................................................ P.-,
11. Bractea a spica remota. Flores cm-vi, perianthio deflcxo. Sepala lateralia basi
non aut vix saccata. Staminodia subulata, falcato-inciu'va............................. P. (
B. Zaie^ii margo fimbriata.
12. Flores hoiizoutalcs, pauci. Sepala lateralia basi non saccata. Labelli lamina
a d n a ta , sim p lex . Staminodia b ilo b a , lo b o iuferio re f im b r i a t o .................P. Archeri.
13- P/o rc« n um e ro s i, a sce n d en te s V. su b e re cti. -Separa la te ra lia b a si sacc ata . Labelli
lamellæ adnatæ 2, parallel®. Staminodia biloba, lobo inferiore vix fimbriato . P. midum.
A. E u p r a so ph y l l um .—Sepals and petals nearly equal. Labellum with a short claw. Anther sessile, blunt.
§ 1. Latei'al sepals united throughout their length, or nearly so.
1. Prasophyllum au strale (Br. Prodr. 31 8 ); folio scapum robustum æquante, spica multiflora
eloiigata, bracteas acutas ovario gracili cylindraceo ^ breviores, floribus fuscis, sepalis lateralibus coimatis,
labelli apice attenuati margine undulato, lamella adnata distincta marginibus membranaccis, staminodiis
lineari-eloiigatis membranaccis antheram superantibus.— Gen. et Sp. Orchid. 514. An P. elatum,
B r .i’ {G u n n ,m .)
Hab. Abundant at Circular Head and Rocky Cape, in poor soil, Gunn.— (FI. Nov.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales, Victoria, and Swan River.
A tall, stout, dark reddish-brown or purplish species, 1-2 feet high, with a leaf as long as the scape, a spike
of many, crowded, dark-coloured flowers, large for the genus, slender ovaries, lateral sepals euneate (rarely free), and
very long, narrow, white, membranous staminodia. I have seen no authentic specimen of this, but I have of
Brown’s P. elatum, the staminodia of which precisely accord with those of om- plant.
2. Prasophyllum lu te sc en s (Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orchid. 514) ; folio caulera subrobustum roquante,
bracteis acuminatis ovariis gracilibus pedicellatis brevioribus, sepalis acuminatis lateralibus cuneatis, petalis
acuminatis undulatis, labelli basi saccati medio recurvi apice attenuati marginibus undulatis, lamella adnata
distincta, staminodiis lineari-oblongis falcatis recurvis. (Tab. CX. B.)
H a b . Wet places: Rocky Cape, Gunn; Stoker’s Plains, TIuon River, Oldfield.— (FI. Nov.,
Dec.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
A rather stout, yellowish-green species, 10-18 inches high, with a leaf as long as the scape.—-Flowers rather
numerous. Sepals and petals acuminate, somewhat undulated ; lateral sepals united. Lip undulate, with a saccate
base, and large lamella with free margins. Staminodia linear-oblong, recuiwed.—P l a t e CX. B. Fig. 1, flower;
2, labellum ; 3, back, and 4. front view of column ; 5, pollen :—all magnified.
3. Prasop h yllum brevilab re (Hook, fil.); folio scapo gracili roquilongo, floribus laxe spicatis,
ovariis pedicellatis turgidis, bracteis minimis pedicellos subroquantibus, sepalis subacutis lateralibus cuneatis
petalisque obtusis, labello elongate basi subsaccato medio refracto, lamella adnata crassiuscula marginibus
undulatis, staminodiis lineari-oblongis falcatis recurvis obtusis.—P . lutescens, var. brevilabris, Li.ndl.
I. c. [Gmm, 923.) (T a b - CX. A.)
H a b . Rocky Cape, in wet places, Gunn; Cheshunt, Archer.— (FI. Dec.)
D is t r ib . Victoria.
But for the remarkable difference in the ovary and bracts of this species, I should not have ventured to liave
separated it from P. lutescens. In this however the ovaries are shorter, very turgid, distinctly pedicelled, and the
minute bracts are hardly longer than the pedicels. The whole plant is also smaller, has fewer and more distant
flowers, the sepals and petals are blunter, and the labellum is sharply doubled back on itself at about the middle.
Guiiu remarks that the labellum is shorter, as well as more acutely reflexed: the latter character I obseive to be the
case, hut I think the shortness is the resulting appearance.—P la t e CX. A. Fig. 1, flower; 2, labellum; -3, side
view of labellum and column; 4, front view of column; 5 pollen ;—all magnified.
4. Prasophyllum fiavum (Br. Prodr. 3 1 8 ); caule robusto folioque brevissimo atro-purpureo, spica
multiflora, floribus luride viridibus, bracteis acuminatis ovariis cylindraceis brevioribus, sepalis dorsalibus
connatis lateralibus petalisque subacutis, labello basi non saccato breviusculo recto v. vix recurvo apice
attenuate marginibus undulatis, lamella adnata crassiuscula, staminodiis brevibus obtusiusculis. (T a b .
CIX. A )
H a b . In marshy ground : Cheshunt, Huon River, Oldfield.— (FI. Dec.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales.
1 have examined two specimens of this plant, which varies from 10-18 inches high, and is more or less
robust, and wheu dry deep purphsh-blaek. It is very similar to P. australe, but may be known from it by the very
short leaf, and from others by the slender ovaries, with acute bracts about half their length, the euneate lateral
sepals, short, nearly straight labellum, not saccate at the base, with undulate margins, and short, small staminodia-—
P la t e CIX. A. Fig. 1, side, and 2, front view of flower; 3, labellum; 4, side, and 5, front view of column -.-all
§ 2. IMeraX sepals free {except in P. alpinum and rostratum). Labellum not suddenly contracted at the apex.
5. Prasophyllum p a ten s (Br. Prodr. 318) ; pallide viride, folio caulem elatum «quante v. superante,
floribus laxe spicatis majusculis patulis, ovariis turgidis pedicellatis, bracteis parvis obtusis pedicellos
vix superantibus, sepalis subacutis lateralibus liberis apice raro dentatis, labelli late ovato-lanceolati
reflexi marginibus late undulatis, lamella adnata crassa bilamellata apice evanescente, staminodiis suberectis
falcatis apice truncatis integris emarginatisve.— P. truncatum, Lindl. I.e. 513. {Gunn, 352, 926, 927.)
(Tab. CXI.)
IIab, Abundant in moist ground throughout the Island.— (FI. Nov., Dec.) {v. v.)
D is t r ib . New South Wales and Victoria.
After a laborious examination of very many specimens, I find myself quite unable to distinguish all Gunn’s
specimens of P. tmncatum from P. patens. Archer however, iu his notes and drawings, distinguishes two species
by the form of the adnate lamella on the surface of tlie labellum, that of P. patens gradually subsiding into the substance
of the labellum, whilst tliat of P. truncatum abruptly at the flexure; the sepals of P. truncatum arc
further more uniformly notched near the apex.—The general form of the staminodia, which are broadly oblong and
falcate in all the specimens, is very much the same, but the apex varies extremely, being truncate, rounded, or subacute,
entire, erose, or notched.—Root-tubers bilobed (always?). Scape 6-18 inches high, with one leaf as long as