14 
frozen may be advantageously employed for food if rapidly 
dried ; but the still more important consequence is to be de- 
duced from the observations of M. Payen, that by killing 
potatoes by exposure to frost, and then rapidly drying them, 
the superabundance of a good potatoe harvest may be pre- 
served to meet the wants of a deficient crop in future years. 
8. OBERONÍA recurva ; acaulis, foliis brevibus acutis, racemo recurvo mul- 
tifloro, bracteis ovatis integris, petalis obovatis subdentatis, labello subro- 
tundo quadrilobo denticulato mucrone interjecto. 
Bombay has produced this curious little plant, which was 
sent overland to Messrs. Loddiges. It has a pendulous ra- 
ceme, scarcely more than an inch long, consisting of minute 
densely imbricated green flowers. Its nearest affinity seems 
to be with O. Wightiana, m. an unpublished species from 
Madras, of which tlie following is the character. 
9. OBERONIA Wightiana ; acaulis, foliis ensiformibus, racemo erecto multi- 
floro, bracteis ovatis integris, petalis linearibus, labelli quadrilobi lobis late- 
ralibus rotundatis integris intermediis elongatis truncatis apice denticulatis. 
10. MEGACLINÍUM oxypterum ; pseudobulbis monophyllis acutissimé 4-5- 
gonis oblongis, folio oblongo coriaceo caulis sine rachi longitudine, rachi 
ensiformi arcuatá crispatá apice tetragoná pyramidali, bracteis reflexis, sepalis 
lateralibus ovatis intermedio lineari acuminatissimo, petalis nanis linearibus 
falcatis, labello crasso linguiformi apice recurvo margine pone basin fimbriato. 
A fine species of this very curious genus, obtained from 
Sierra Leone by Messrs. Loddiges. It is most nearly related 
to M. maximum, from which its sharp-angled pseudo-bulbs 
at once distinguish it. 
Pi PLEUROTHALLÍS bicarinata; folio oblongo coriaceo planiusculo levi- 
ter carinato basi subcordato petiolo acuté canaliculato univaginato breviore, 
sepalis linearibus squalibus lateralibus carinatis ad apicem feré connatis, 
sepalis lineari-obovatis minuté serratis glabris, labello obovato carnoso medio 
exarato denticulo inflexo utrinque prope basin. 
A native of Brazil, and imported by Messrs. Loddiges. 
The leaf is five inches long, the petiole six, with a large 
withered sheath in the middle. The flowers are dull greenish 
yellow, not unlike those of P. saurocephala. 
12. SCHOMBURGKÍÁ marginata. . 
_ This most beautiful Orchidaceous plant, of which there 
i$ a figure in the Sertum Orchidaceum, t. 13, and of which 
