Flora of New Zealand Series

Original localities: Eastern and southern coasts of Australia. Type:?

Plant at fl. 10–30–(70) cm. tall. Stem erect, ± fleshy. Lf often overtopping raceme. Raceme of very ∞, us. crowded fls. Per. green to yellowish green. Dorsal sepal c.1.5–2mm. long, with short recurved tip; laterals shorter, subacute, deflexed. Petals ± under dorsal sepal. Labellum broad at base, narrowing towards obtuse tip which ends in a down-turned apiculus; margin entire (marginal cells occ. slightly enlarged), smooth; anterior callus us. present in N.Z., variable in size; basal calli prominent, sts appearing as 2 pairs, surrounding a small pouch which causes a bulge on the under side of labellum, so preventing it from lying flat against ovary. Column narrow below stigma; wings membr. throughout.

DIST.:K., N., north of Auckland and as far south as Volcanic Plateau. S., from Takaka district (V. M. Scott, D. R. Given) and from near Charleston (J. Clarke).

Dry clay banks to pakihi.

FL. 10–11–(1).

Brown described the disc of the upper (distal) half of the labellum as without calli (ecalloso), and this is repeated in later descriptions and in Hatch's figure (T.R.S.N.Z. 79, 1952, t. 73, J). Most N.Z. specimens possess an anterior callus, and this has been seen also in a plant from Queensland.