Group (e)

5. Th. ixioides Sw. Vet. Akad., 21, 1800, 228, t3L

A compound species with 2 jordanons in Australia. Only the typical form extends to New Zealand.

(a) Th. ixioides var. typica Hh. n.nom.

Th. ixioides Sw. sens, strict. Hatch, Trans. R.S.N.Z., 76, 1946, 58

Th. iridioides Seib. ex Benth. Flor. Austr., 6, 1873, 317

Th. juncifolia Ldl. Gen. et Spec. Orch., 1840, 522

Th. lilacina F. Muel. ex Ldl. Linnaea, 26, 1855, 242

Up to 70 cm. high. Leaf up to 40 cm. long, recurved, concave with exterior ridges, linear-acuminate. Flowers 1–20, bright blue, pink or white, the lateral sepals and often the petals spotted with brown, perianth segments up to 23 mm. long. Column inclined slightly backwards, pale blue with a transverse violet band near the top. Midlobe higher than the anther, not cucullate, the upper margin bright yellow or red and studded with tall calli. Lateral lobes secondary, oblique, with thin tufts of white cilia.

Distribution. Australia—common throughout all the States. New Zealand—2. (North Auckland), Kaitaia, Ahipara, 10.1920, H. B. Matthews. Kaikohe, 10.1949, Irwin and Gibson. 3. (Kaipara), Birkdale, Henderson, 10.1922, H. B. Matthews. Silverdale, 10.1949, F. W. Bartlett. Waiheke Island, 11.1948, Auck. Bot. Soc. 5. (Volcanic Plateau), not uncommon between Rotorua and Taupo, Allison, Mellor, Hatch. 7. (Ruahine-Cook), Wallaceville, 10.1949, A. P. Druce.

Flowers Oct.-Dec., sea-level–2,000ft.; small groups or scattered, in scrub or along roadsides.

6. Th. aemula Cheesmn. Trans. N.Z. Inst., 51, 1919, 94

Up to 50 cm. high. Leaf up to 30 cm. long, erect, shallow-concave with exterior ridges, linear-acuminate, pale green. Flowers 1–35, pale mauve, packed rather closely, the raceme in the bud resembling an ear of wheat, perianth segments up to 12 mm. long. Column erect, pale purple with yellow striae, and a narrow purple band near the top. Midlobe as high as the anther, not cucullate, the upper margin bright