column; lamina erect, undivided, broadly ovate-rhomboid, subcordate at the base, entire, margins involute and clasping the column towards the base; disc smooth, without calli or ridges, or with an obscure thickening on each side near the base. Column rather shorter than the lip, erect, broadly and equally winged from the base; wings not continued upwards behind the anther. Stigma prominent, placed just under the small rostellum. Anther terminal, erect, 2-celled; pollinia free, granular.
A very curious little plant. It is clearly allied to Adenochilus, of which it has the habit, but differs in the smooth undivided lip, minute petals, and in the column-wings not being produced upwards behind the anther. The smooth undivided lip also separates it from Chiloglottis, Caladenia, Burnettia, and other allied genera. Believing it to form the type of a new genus, I have much pleasure in dedicating it to its discoverer, Mr. W. Townson, of Westport, to whom I am much indebted for specimens and information respecting the botany of the north-western portion of the South Island.
1. T. deflexa, Cheesem.—Very slender, 3–6 in. high. Radical leaves on slender petioles ½–1½ in. long; blade ¼–½ in., broadly oblong or orbicular-ovate, obtuse or apiculate, rounded or subcordate at the base, thin and menibranous, veins reticulated. Cauline leaf ovate, acute, often very small and scale-like. Flowers small, ⅙–¼ in. long, greenish.
South Island: Nelson—Vicinity of Westport, Townson! November-December.
20. CORYSANTHES, R. Br.
Dwarf very delicate succulent terrestrial herbs. Root of small rounded tubers on fleshy caudicles. Leaf solitary, ovate-cordate or orbicular or reniform. Flower solitary, large for the size of the plant, at first almost sessile on the leaf, but peduncle elongating considerably in fruit. Upper sepal large, erect and incurved, helmet-shaped; lateral free, small and linear, or long and filiform. Petals similar to the lateral sepals but smaller, sometimes wanting. Lip large, the lower portion tubular, the margins meeting behind the column and enclosing it; base with a rounded auricle on each side of the column or with a hollow conical spur; upper part truncate or expanded into a broad abruptly reflexed limb; margins entire or denticulate or fimbriate. Column short, straight, 2-winged at the top; stigma broad, placed just under the rostellum. Anther large, terminal, erect, 2-celled; pollinia 4, powdery, free.
A very curious genius of about 16 species, found in Malaya, Australia, and New Zealand, the species of each country being endemic.
| A. Lip produced downwards into 2 conical spurs at the base. Lateral sepals and petals minute. | |
| Leaf ¼–½ in., sessile, ovate-cordate | 1. C. Cheesemanii. |
