ovary. Upper sepal ⅓–½ in. long, when spread out almost orbicular, much incurved, deeply concave; lateral filiform, erect or diverging, ½–1 in. long. Petals thin, notched at the tip. Lip spreading or deflexed; lateral lobes broad, oblique; middle lobe much larger, ovate; disc with a large variously shaped callus.—A. Cunn. Precur. n. 310; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 332; Fitzgerald, Austral. Orch. i. pt. 3. O. Solandri, Lindl. Gen. et Sp. Orch. 512; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 243; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 273. O. rubrum, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xviii. (1886) 273. O. caput-serpentis, Col. l.c. xxii. (1890) 490. Diuris novæ-zealandiæ, A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. 163, t. 25, f. 1.
North Island: Dry hills from the North Cape southwards, not uncommon. South Island: Various localities in the Nelson Provincial District, Bidwill, Kirk! T.F.C. Sea-level to 2500 ft. December–January.
8. MICROTIS, R. Br.
Glabrous terrestrial herbs; root of rounded tubers on fleshy fibres. Leaf solitary, long, narrow, terete, opened out near the stem and then continuous with the closed sheath. Flowers small, green, numerous, densely spicate, usually spreading or reflexed. Upper sepal erect, broad, concave, incurved; lateral lanceolate or oblong, spreading or recurved. Petals similar to the lateral sepals or smaller. Lip sessile at the base of the column, spreading, oblong, obtuse, truncate or 2-lobed, usually with calli near the base. Column very short, almost terete, upper part with 2 auricles or wings. Anther terminal, erect, 2-ceiled; pollinia 4, powdery.
The genus consists of 6 species inhabiting Australia, one of ihem extending to New Zealand. A seventh species has also been described from the Malny Archipelago. The genus has the habit and general appearance of Prasophyllum, but differs in the flowers not being reversed, and in the auricles of the column.
1. M. porrifolia, R. Br. Prodr. 320.—Very variable in size, degree of robustness, and number of flowers. Stems stout or slender, 3–24 in. high. Leaf terete, fistular, exceeding the spike or shorter than it. Spike ½–6 in. long; flowers few or many, close-set or rather distant, minute, green, pedicels short; bracts small. Upper sepal broadly ovate, acute, deeply concave; lateral oblong, deflexed. Petals shorter, spreading. Lip horizontal or deflexed, oblong, obtuse or 2-lobed; margins much crisped; disc with 2 calli at the base and usually with an irregularly shaped tubercle or swelling near the tip. Column very short, stout; upper part with 2 small auricles. Pollinia attached to a very short caudicle.—Hook f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 245; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 266; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 347; Fitzgerald, Austral. Orch. ii. pt. i. M. Banksii, A. Cunn. Bot. Mag. sub. t. 3377; Precur. n. 311; Raoul, Choix, 41. M. longifolia, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xvii. (1885) 247. M. papillosa, Col. l.c. xviii. (1886) 269. Epipactis porrifolia, Swz. in Vet. Acad. Stockh. (1800) 233. Ophrys unifolia, Forst. Prodr. n. 311.
