Flora of New Zealand Series

Original locality: N. S. Wales.

Plant at fl. 15–90 cm. tall, slender to quite stout. Stem erect. Lf acute, overtopped by raceme, inclined to be fleshy; cauline bracts similar but much shorter. Floral bracts narrow, acute. Per. mostly greenish, except for bright reddish beard of labellum. Dorsal sepal 1–1.5 cm. long, broad-elliptic, acute, ± folded about column; lateral sepals little smaller. Petals shorter, obliquely deltoid, subacute tip directed towards dorsal sepal, us. striped. Labellum almost 2 × sepals; bare ligulate apex long and often straight; disc broad with dense long processes; base covered with very small, acute calli and on each side a short, erect, intra-marginal plate-like callus. Column-wings without basal glands.

DIST.: N. Records few, from vicinity of Kaitaia and of Whangarei, from Rotorua-Taupo area, Tararua Range and Upper Hutt. "About swamps or in tussock". S. Scattered localities from Golden Bay to south of Westport. Pakihi.

Also in all other Australian States except W. Australia.

FL. 10–12.

In Australia this sp. occurs not only in damp places but also on hard ridges in hill country, on sandy heath-lands and under light forest.