53 RELATION OF THE ORCHID FLORA OF AUSTRALIA TO THAT OF NEW ZEALAND. WITPI TPIE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW MONOTYPIC GENUS FOR NEW ZEALAND. By H. M. R Rupp, B.A., Sydney, N.S.W., and E. D. Hatch, Auckland, N.Z. [Read 27th June, 1945.] This paper may be conveniently divided into the following sections: I. A general survey of the orchid genera of both countries, with certain data in regard to their distribution. II. The probable origin of these genera. III. Orchid species common to Australia and New Zealand. IV. Possible explanations of the close relation existing between the two orchid floras. V. The description of a new monotypic orcliid genus for New Zealand. I. General Survey. To the student of orchidology, the relation between the orchid flora of Australia and that of New Zealand is so striking, and in some respects so remarkable, that a survey of the subject seems long overdue. The present attempt to provide this can scarcely be regarded as more than preliminary, but the authors are hopeful that it may at least clear up some obscurities, and pave the way for other workers who may be able to reach satisfactory conclusions as new light is thrown upon the subject in the course of time. The flgures given below, in connection with the numbers of orchid genera and species, must be taken as approximate only. They are as nearly correct as it is possible for us to make them at the time of writing. But no comprehensive census nor catalogue is available, including every genus and species effectively published for Australia and New Zealand up to the present time; and so far as Australian orchids are concerned, descriptions of new species have been published in so many different journals (not all of them Australian), that it is possible we have missed a few. We have been as accurate as our sources of information permitted. (a). The Orchid Flora of Australia. — This is distributed among 71 genera, containing about 470 known species. The number will probably be substantially increased before a comprehensive census becomes possible; new species are being added every year, and comparatively little is known as yet of the orchids of the tropics between the north-west of Western Australia and the Cape York Peninsula. In the table which follows, the number of known species each of the six Australian States is given, with an extra column for the Northern Territory. Number of Known Species. Genus. Qd. N.S.W. Vict. Tasm. S. Aust. W. Aust. N.T. Habenaria, L. 8 9 Thelymitra, Forst. 2 12 22 10 16 20 Epiblerna, R.Br. 1 Dvuris, Sm. 9 29 11 7 8 7 Orthoceras, R.Br. 1 1 1 1 1 Microtis, R.Br. 2 4 5 4 4 9 Goadhyella, Rogers 1 Corunastylis, Fitzg. 1 Prasophyllum, R.Br. 9 44 27 14 13 18 Caleana, R.Br. 2 3 3 2 2 1 Spiculaea, Llndl. 1 2 2 1 Drakaea, Lindl. 4
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