Prasophyllum R. Br.

Terrestial, glabrous herbs with ovoid or globose tubers. Leaf tubular, solitary or very rarely two leaves, closely sheathing the stem for most of its length, the terete lamina variously produced. Flowers reversed, few or many in a terminal raceme. Floral bracts, rudimentary, minute, closely appressed to the base of the ovary. Dorsal sepal more or less cucullate. Lateral free or united, the lobes usually spreading. Petals shorter and narrower than the sepals. Labellum sessile or attached by a claw, suberect and recurved, the margins entire or variously crenulate, undulate or ciliate. Upper surface with a large callus. Column short, stigma an irregularly rounded disc. Column-wings narrow, entire, or variously lobed. Anther robust, two-celled. Pollinia bi-lobed, attached to a caudicle. Rostelum terminal, usually prominent, separating the anther from the stigma.

A genus of rather more than 80 species, the majority in Australia, and a few in New Zealand and New Caledonia.