86 cxxxiii. ORCHiDE^ (rolfe). [BulbopkyUum. 



subulate, longer than the column, slightly denticulate in front, and de- 

 current. — Taurostalix HemiinioslachySj Reichb. f. in Bot.Zeit. 1852,933. 



Upper Guinea. Sierra Leone (ex Reichenhach !). 



Only Jinown to me from the original description. Flowers as large as those of 

 Serminitmi Monoo'chis, R. Br. 



There are l)arren specimens of two species of Bulbophyllum from Nyasaland^ 

 WTiyte ! which are the only ones known from the eastern side of the continent. 



6. MEGACLINIUM, Lindl. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Fl iii. 505. 



Dorsal sepal free, erect or spreading, longer than the triangular-ovate 

 acuminate lateral ones, which are either falcate or reflexed about the 

 middle, base of laterals adnate to the foot of the column. Petals smaller 

 and narrower than the sepals. Lip articulated to the foot of the 

 column, mobile, inflexed at the base, recurved above, entire or 

 denticulate at , the base, rarely somewhat 3-lobed. Column short, 

 broadly dilated and winged on both sides, terminating above in 

 square or rounded teeth ; base produced into a short foot. Anther as 

 in Bulhophylluni, — Epiphytic herbs, with stout creeping rhizomes ; 

 pseudobulbs sessile in the axil of a sheath, mostly 3-5-angled, 2- or 1- 

 leaved. Scapes arising from the base of the pseudobulbs, simple ; apex 

 dilated into a flattened, often ensiform and almost foliaceous rhachis,. 

 along either side of which the flowers and bracts are distichously 

 arranged. Bracts usually ovate or triangular, ultimately much 

 deflexed. Flowers small, pedicelled, curved. 



A genus of about 23 species, mostly Tropical African, but with two in Extra-tropical 

 South Africa and one reported from Madagascar, of which the habitat requires 

 confirmation. 



Rhachis thick and fleshy, with rounded or obtuse margins. 

 Bracts broadly ovate, obtuse. 

 Petals falcate-linear. 



llowers yellow j dorsal sepal but a very little longer 



than the linear petals . . . . , \, M. tev/corkachis. 



Flowers purple ; dorsal sepal quite a third longer 



than the filiform petals . , . . 2. M. imbricatum. 



Petals falcate-lanceolate . . . . . ^. M. triste. 



Bracts broadly ligulate, acute 4. M. strohiliferttm, 



Rhachis with thin, more or less wiug-like margins. 

 Lip fimbriate or denticulate at the base. 

 Petals falcate-linear. 



Sepals recurved or reflexed above the middle . 5. M. maximum. 



Sepals not recurved above the middle . . . G. M. oxypterum. 



Petals falcate-lanceolate . . . . . 1. M. imschooUanum. 



Lip entire at the base. 



Rhachis 1-5 in. long; flowers 1^-4 lin. apart. 

 Pseudobulbs obscurely or distinctly 3-angled. 

 Scape 4 in. or more high. 



Sepals velvety . . . . . . 8. Jf. velutinum. 



Sepals smooth . . . . . . ^. M. coluhrinum. 



Scape about 2 in. high . . . . . 10. M. minutum. 



Pseudobulbs obscurely or distinctly 4-angled. 



