Flora of New Zealand Series

Epidendrum autumnale Forst. f. Prodr.  1786,  60.

Earina suaveolens Lindl. in Bot. Reg.  29,  1843,  Misc. 61.

Earina alba Col. in T.N.Z.I.  18,  1886,  267.

Original locality: "Noua Zeelandia". Type: There is a Forster specimen at GOET, and the sp. is listed amongst those in the Forster Herbarium at P. At BM amongst Forster's illustrations is a painting of this sp. labelled "Dusky Bay".

Plant at fl. to 100 cm. long, us. very much less. Stem erect if short, drooping if long, completely clad in sheathing lf-bases. Lf-sheaths mostly 3–4 mm. diam., little flattened, each overlapping at least half of the one above, deeply split with free edges dark, otherwise mostly pale; lamina 4–12 cm. × 5–8 mm., widest near base, broad almost to subacute tip, long persistent. Rhizome thickly covered with sheathing scale lvs or their fibrous remains. Panicle c. 5–10 cm. long, us. erect; racemes ∞, arranged distichously at short intervals up stiff central axis, each lateral stem to c. 10 mm. long with a few crowded empty bracts and 1–3 almost sessile fls. Per. c. 13 mm. diam., opening widely, waxy white. Sepals elliptic, slightly keeled, subacute. Petals slightly broader and more obtuse. Labellum broad and obtuse, white except for yellow base, standing erect and half enclosing column, transversely rhomboid, not lobed; distal margins slightly thickened and recurved; near base 2 short crescent-shaped ridges lead down to small, brightly coloured pit (nectary?). Column much shorter, broadest at base, wings projecting in small lobes about level of stigma; pollinia clavate.

DIST.: N., S., St., Ch.

Epiphytic on forest trees, or growing on rocks, banks or fallen logs.

FL. (1)–2–4–(6).

E. suaveolens. Lindley's description is accompanied by the following information: "This extremely rare Orchidaceous plant was sold the other day among a collection of New Zealand varieties, brought to this country by Mr Bidwill . . . from Mr Bidwill I learn that it grows near Roturoa in New Zealand, on trees not very densely covered with leaves; that it is very rare even there, and most deliciously perfumed".

E. alba. From "banks of River Mangatawhainui, Seventy-mile Bush, County of Waipawa: 1878-85: W.C." "Closely resembles E. autumnalis". Type: In Herb. Colenso WELT 24267 is labelled by Cheeseman "Type of E. alba Col."

Thomson (T.N.Z.I. 11, 1879, 418) records observations on pollination.