Flora of New Zealand Series

Corysanthes orbiculata Col. in T.N.Z.I. 23, 1891, 389.

Corybas macranthus var. longipetalus Hatch in T.R.S.N.Z. 76, 1947, 580, t. 60:1, A, B.

Original locality: "'Mount Cook, Black-birch Creek Valley'; 1890: Mr H. Suter." Lectotype: WELT 24287 in Herb. Colenso. Isotypes at AK.

Plant at fl. to c. 4 cm. tall. Green lf c. 2–3 × 1.5–2.5 cm., sessile or with petiole much shorter than lamina, long-oval to almost orbicular, apiculate, rounded to narrowly cordate at base, inclined to be fleshy and silvery abaxially. Floral bract < ovary, narrow. Dorsal sepal little longer than labellum, lanceolate-acuminate, erect then arched forwards, downwards, or upwards; lateral sepals long, filiform, greatly exceeding labellum. Petals similar to lateral sepals and us. almost as long. Labellum auriculate at base, lamina abruptly deflexed, broadly expanded, us. tapering to the apiculus, margin minutely denticulate, inner surface papillose.

DIST.: N., S., St.

Endemic.

Damp banks.

FL. (8)–9–12–(1).

Colenso's name is given by Cheeseman (Man. N.Z. Fl. 1906, 695; 1925, 366) in synonymy under Corysanthes rotundifolia (which is now regarded as a synonym of C. oblonga) with the comment: "From small forms of C. macrantha it is best distinguished by the almost sessile leaf and much smaller lip with an acute or acuminate tip."

C. macranthus var. longipetalus. Holotype: AK 24788 "In Herb. Hatch, No. 563, Waitangi Stream (Waiouru), 3,000 feet, September 2, 1944, E. D. Hatch".

Corysanthes rotundifolia var. pandurata Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. 1925, 366. Original locality: "Kaitaia (Mongonui County), R. H. Matthews!" Type: Not found at AK. The distinguishing character "Leaves deeply lobed on each side, so as to be almost panduriform" is one that occurs sporadically in several spp.