5. Spiranthes, L. C. Rich.

Terrestrial herbs, with fibrous or tuberous roots. Stems leafy or sometimes leafless at the time of flowering. Flowers small, spirally arranged in a terminal spike. Sepals subequal; the dorsal one erect, more or less connivent with the petals into a hood; lateral free, erect or spreading. Lip sessile or clawed, concave, closely embracing the column at its broad base, often spreading and dilated at the tip; disc usually with tubercles or lamellæ near the base. Column short, terete. Anther erect, ovate or oblong, 2-celled; pollinia after dehiscence pendulous from the gland of the rostellum.

A genus of about 80 species, generally dispersed through most temperate or tropical regions.

• 1. S. australis, Lindl. in Bot. Reg. t. 823.—Root of several stout and fleshy almost tuberous fibres. Stem variable in size, 6–20 in. high, stout or slender, glabrous or nearly so below the inflorescence. Lower leaves varying from 2 to 6, 2–6 in. long, narrow-linear or linear-lanceolate, acuminate, sheathing at the base; upper ones reduced to sheathing scales. Spike slender, 2–6 in. long or more, spirally twisted, glandular-pubescent. Flowers numerous, small, sessile, close-set or rather distant, 1/10–⅛ in. long, rose-pink or white; bracts ovate, acuminate, usually as long as the flowers. Upper sepal oblong, obtuse, connivent with the petals into a hood; lateral free, acute. Lip broadly oblong, concave; the lower part embracing; the column and bearing a small rounded gland on each side at the page 668base; upper part spreading and thickened; margins usually much crisped. Ovary glandular.—Hook. f. Fl. Tasm. ii. 15; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 272; Benth. Fl. Austral. vi. 314. S. novæ-zealandiæ, Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 243.

  North Island: Auckland—Near Ohora, T. F. C.; Kaitaia, R. H. Matthews! Great Barrier Island, Kirk; near Auckland, T. F. C.; Upper Waikato, Colenso; Rotorua, T. F. C. Taranaki—Swamps near New Plymouth; Ngaire Swamp, T. F. C. South Island: Okarito, A. Hamilton. Sea-level to 1500 ft. January–February.

  Also found in Australia, and in many parts of tropical and temperate Asia.