Art. XLII.—Botanical Notes.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 16, 1883, Page 397

Art. XLII.—Botanical Notes. By J. Buchanan. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 13th February, 1884.] Loranthus fieldii, n. s. Leaves 1–1 ½ inches long, linear-oblong, rounded at the tip and narrowed into a very short petiole at the base, mid-rib indistinct. Racemes 3–4 inches long, tetrachotomously 16-flowered. Flowers 1–1 ¼ inch long, bright crimson, tipped with dark purple, and yellowish towards the base, petals free to the bottom, anthers linear. A single raceme only of this beautiful Loranthus was forwarded by Mr. Field, it was discovered near the base of Ruapehu on Fagus sp., and is called by the Maoris “roeroe.” More complete specimens will be required before it can be correctly described; in the meantime it is named provisionally after the discoverer. Bolbophyllum exiguum, F. Muell. Specimens of this Australian Orchid have been collected in the Collingwood District, Nelson, during the last season by Mr. Dahl, and forwarded to the Colonial Museum, Wellington. This genus has previously been represented in New Zealand by only one species, B. pygmæum, Lindl., a small tufted epiphyte, found on trees and rocks with solitary flowers. The present species may be distinguished by its larger size, and by the peduncles carrying 2–4 flowers. Calochilus paludosus, R. Brown. Another Australian orchid discovered by Mr. H. H. Travers in the Collingwood District, Nelson, may also be noticed for the information of botanical visitors to that district. The present species is a tall slender plant with a long leaf, and two, three, or four dark purple flowers. Sepals 7–8 lines long. Petals not half so long, strongly veined. Labellum covered with long cilia. Column wing produced behind the anther to about its length. Anther as broad as long, very obtuse. Benth. Flora Australiensis, vol. vi. Dendrobium biflorum, A. Rich. Mr. Travers sends specimens of a large 2-flowered Dendrobium for examination. This is no doubt D. biflorum, A. Rich., noticed in the Handbook N.Z. Flora, as a var. of D. cunninghamii, Lindl. It is a rare plant in many parts of New Zealand and differs from the latter in its larger size and constant 2-flowers. It would be more satisfactory to treat such distinct forms as species than as varieties in future publications.