Megaclinium
(from megas, large, and kline, a bed; referring to the axis or rachis on which the flowers are borne). ORD. Orchideae. A genus comprising about nine species of stove epiphytal Orchids, natives of tropical and Southern sub-tropical Africa. They are closely allied to Bulbophyllum. The species are more curious than beautiful. The singular flattened scape is a good distinguishing mark of this genus. For culture, see Bulbophyllum. M. bufo (toad). fl. brown, purple, covered with black hairs; sepals acute, upper one smooth, lateral ones downy inside; petals small, acute, glabrous; lip ovate, fleshy, wrinkled. March to June. Sierra Leone, 1839. (G. C. 1841, p. 348.) M. falcatum (falcate). fl. yellow, red; upper segments of perianth obtuse, callous on both sides at apex; outer lateral ones reflexed, bidentate; inner ones or petals smaller, subulate, obtuse. l. oval, emarginate, biplicate. Pseudo-bulbs tufted, rather tetragonal, two-leaved. Sierra Leone, 1822. (B. R. 989.) M. maximum (largest). fl. yellow, spotted blood-colour, sessile, appearing like little tadpoles, borne in a line on the middle, on each side of the broad, flat, sword-shaped, green rachis (scape), which arises from the base of the pseudo-bulbs, and is longer than the leaves. June and July. l. two or three, ligulate. Pseudo-bulbs oblong, angled. Sierra Leone. (B. M. 4028; B. R. 1959.) M. purpuratum (purple). fl. yellowish, speckled and streaked with purple; rachis 4in. to 6in. long, 1in. broad, pale yellow-green, sprinkled with red-purple. l. linear-oblong, in pairs at the top of the pseudo-bulb, obtuse, keeled. Western tropical Africa, 1871. (B. M. 5936.)