Immediately after the Post comes I shall start for TLolema 
and Quindiu, returning through Antioquia. I am concerned to 
tell you that Dr. Cespedes, from whom I have received great 
kindness, is now suffering from an accident. He was passing 
on horse-back beneath some trees, when his progress was 
impeded by a large branch, which struck him so severely as to 
break several ribs. This has brought his botanical excursion to a 
close, and threatens to be of dangerous consequence. Dr. Cespedes 
gave me much valuable information respecting the rare plants of 
the neighbourhood and their localities. He knows six species of 
Theobroma.- On the Plains of San Martin a species grows which 
is in universal esteem among the inhabitants, who call it “ Cacao 
verde”; two kinds are particularly handsome: so I consider 
one of those forwarded in the last case. Among my specimens 
are two Theobrmnas distinct from T. Cacos. Prom the same 
gentleman I hear of a Phytelephas, which has a twisted prostrate 
trunk; it is so rare, that he only met with one instance of it 
during a year’s residence amid a large forest of these trees. 
Santa Anna, near Honda, April 18th, 1846. 
Since writing from Bogota, I have visited the Paramo of 
Ruiz, which forms the northern extremity of the snowy range of 
Tolema, and is about eighty miles distant. Two reasons led me 
to choose this route; the vegetation promised to be like that of 
the Paramo of Quindiu; and Mr. Linden had already visited the 
Peak of Tolema. The journey has not proved quite so productive 
as I hoped; though I have gathered some few very good plauts. 
It was necessary to return here in order to ship my collections 
and, besides ensuring a quicker despatch, thus to save the expense 
and trouble of carrying them over Quindiu. The rainy season 
has just begun, to the great joy of every one but myself. The 
protracted drought had been the cause of pressing scarcity, 
especially at Bogota. 
On my way to the Paramo of Ruiz, I was enchanted with the 
rich luxuriance of the low er mountains : no where have I seen 
more beautiful vegetation. Several kinds of Palm are conspicuous : 
I forward seeds of two species, along with the Phytelephas, yfhicu. 
also grows there in great abundance. I am happy to inform 
you that I have had, at last, the good fortune to detect the male 
flowers of the Ivory-Nut Palm, for which I long sought in vain. 
The singularity of this inflorescence is only equalled by its beauty. 
It differs from most other Palms by having a double spatha, 
