2. Prasophyllum colensoi. Hook. f.

• Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 241.

• Pr. pauciflorum, Col. Trans. N.Z. Inst., 18, 1886, 273.

Stout or slender, up to 40 cm. high. Leaf sheathing the stem for most of its length, the lamina shorter than, or exceeding the inflorescence. Flowers up to 40 in a loose, red-green spike. Dorsal sepal ovate-oblong, acute, concave. Lateral longer, united at the base, lanceolate, acute, spreading or recurved. Petals linear-oblong, obtuse. Labellum sessile, ovate-acuminate, the upper third recurved, margins undulate. Callus prominent, green, extending almost to the tip. Column-wings broadly emarginate, shorter than the rostellum, as is the broad, obtuse anther.

Distribution: Endemic. Throughout New Zealand, rare and local north of Lake Taupo; abundant in high country from there southwards to the Stewart and Antipodes Islands. Grass and tussock and about the margins of bogs. Flowers November to January. Sea level to 5,000ft. Pr. colensoi occasionally produces 2 leaves.

3. Prasophyllum suttonii Rog. & Rees.

• Proc. R. S. Vict., 25, 1921, 112.

• Pr. patens Cheesmn. (not of R. Br.)

Stout, up to 90 cm. high. Leaf sheathing the stem for half its length, the lamina shorter than, or exceeding the inflorescence. Flowers fragrant, up to 40 in a loose, pale-green spike. Dorsal sepal ovate-acute, concave. Lateral longer, lanceolate, free or united. Petals linear-oblong, obtuse, white with a dark central line. Labellum on a very short, rigid claw, the upper third recurved, margins broad, white, prominently crenulate. Callus rather narrow, extending to the curve. Column-wings linear-oblong, obtuse, entire, almost as high as the rostellum, as is the robust, acuminate anther.

Distribution: Australia—New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, occasional in subalpine bogs. New Zealand—2, Maungatapere, H. Carse; 3c Great Barrier Island, T. Kirk; Waiotapu, K. W. Allison; 5, Erua, H. B. Matthews; Tangiwai, 1, 1945, E. D. Hatch; Rotorua and south to the Waikato River (3 localities), K. W. Allison; Rotorua 1, 1923, H. B. Matthews; 6, Ngaire, T. F. Cheeseman.

Flowers December to January, 2,000ft. to 4,000ft. Usually found in Hypolaena bogs, growing in open water between the clumps. Most conspicuous.

Pr. patens R. Br., Pr. odoratum Rog., and Pr. suttonii Rog. & Rees have been much confused. The three are allied but quite distinct. Cheeseman identified the New Zealand plants by comparison with Australian specimens of Pr. patens. At that time the group had not been divided into the three species mentioned, and it is conceivable that his “patens” specimens were, in fact, Pr suttonii. In any case the true Pr. patens is a slender plant, quite unlike anything in New Zealand. At Mr. Rupp's suggestion the writer studied fresh specimens of all three species, and compared photographs of living plants, and sketches of the floral organs by Nicholls. There can be no doubt that our plant is Pr. suttonii.

4. Prasophyllum pumilum Hook. f.

• Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 242.

Small, slender, up to 35 cm. high. Leaf sheathing the whole stem, the lamina usually shorter than the inflorescence, but exceeding it in young specimens. Flowers up to 40 in a dense, creamy spike. Dorsal sepal sub-cucullate, the acuminate tip recurved. Lateral sepals free or united, falcate, spreading. Petals broadly mucronate. Labellum green, much recurved, broad linear, mucronate or acute, on a narrow reddish claw. Callus of several inconspicuous raised green ridges. Column-wings narrow-acuminate.

Distribution: Endemic in the North Island, 2, 3a. Clay banks and roadsides and in mossy open places in low scrub throughout the North Auckland Peninsula. Not common. 3b, Rangiriri, T. F. Cheeseman; 3c, Coromandel, T. F. Cheeseman; 5, Rotorua, Rotoehu, Te Puke, K. W. Allison; Waitahanui River (Bay of Plenty), 3, 1941, K. W. Allison.

Flowers March to June. Sea level to 1,000ft.

5. Prasophyllum nudum Hook. f.

• Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 242; Hatch. Trans. R.S.N.Z., 75, 1945. 369.

• Pr. tunicatum Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel., 1, 1853, 242.

• Pr. variegatum Col. Trans. N.Z. Inst., 20, 1888, 208.

• Pr. rufum Cheesmn. (not of R. Br.)

Smaller than Pr. pumilum. Leaf lamina not reaching the inflorescence. Flowers up to 20 in a loose, dark-red spike. Dorsal sepal cucullate, acuminate, inrolled. Lateral sepals united, with a narrow, acute sinus; the lobes subulate, inrolled, parallel or only slightly spreading. Petals narrow-acuminate. Labellum deep red, on a narrow reddish claw, concave beneath, studded with minute calli above, the edges ciliate towards the tip. Callus large, dark-red, cleft by a linear, greenish depression. Column-wings bifid or entire, narrow acuminate.

Distribution: Endemic, 3a, Birkdale, 4, 1922, H. B. Matthews; Titirangi, 4, 1945 and 1946, E. D. Hatch; 3c, Paeroa Range, K. W. Allison; 4, Lake Tutira, H. Guthrie Smith; Te Hawara, W. Colenso; 5, Lake Taupo (Type Locality), W. Colenso; Waimarino Plains, E. P. Turner; Rotorua, 1, 1922, K. W. Allison; 1, 1923, H. B. Matthews; “widely spread, if not common, from Rotorua to Atiamuri and Taupo,” K. W. Allison; 7, Kaitoke, B. C. Aston; Port Nicholson, W. Colenso; 8, Port Underwood, J. H. Macmahon; Portage, Te Mahia, 1943, J. Healy; Kenepuru Sound, J. H. Macmahon, 1943, J. Healy; 10, Westport, W. Townson, J. E. Holloway.

Grass, roadsides, and scrub, never abundant. Flowers January to June. Sea level to 1,000ft.

The writer has not seen descriptions of Healy's South Island specimens, but since the glandular tips to the lateral sepals, described by Cheeseman as characteristic of the Westport material, also occur occasionally in the North Island form, it seems probable that only one species of this group of Genoplesium is to be found in New Zealand. Matthews left excellent descriptions of his Birkdale specimens. (Mss.