ORCHID COLLECTING — STANDLEY 363 



Most celebrated amongj Panama orchids is doubtless the Espiritu 

 Santo, Holy Ghost or dove orchid {Peristena elata), that often 

 figures upon local illustrated post cards. This plant, which occurs 

 also in Costa Rica, is terrestrial and inhabits the lowland forests. 

 It has been collected so much as now to be rather rare about the 

 Zone. From a cluster of green bulbs rise a few narrow leaves, and 

 a flower stalk 3 or 4 feet high which bears a raceme of fragrant 

 waxy-white flowers about 2 inches broad. The organs in the center 

 of the flower show a striking resemblance to a miniature dove with 

 spread tail and outstretched wings, the head and bill also being 

 perfectly reproduced. It may be imagined in what veneration and 

 esteem such a flower is held by the native people. 



In Cattleyas Panama is not fortunate, for only one has been col- 

 lected, Cattleya deckeri (pi. 3, fig. 1), a species related to C. skinneri 

 discussed elsewhere, and apparently rare. Mr. Powell, however, has 

 in cultivation some handsome exotic Cattleyas, particularly fine 

 plants of Cattleya trianaei, a Colombian species, and one of those 

 most frequently seen in cultivation in the United States. 



A peculiarly characteristic Panama plant is Brassavola nodosa 

 (pi. 4), which is found nevertheless in many other parts of Central 

 America, northern South America, and even in Jamaica. It grows 

 upon both trees and rocks. The curious thick, stiff leaves are nearly 

 round, but are channeled along the upper side. The delightfully 

 fragrant flowers, 2 to 3 inches long, have greenish sepals and petals 

 and a pure white lip. This is common in the lowlands of Panama, 

 and is one of the few orchids that is plentiful on Taboga Island. 

 A laudable but unsuccessful campaign was once conducted with the 

 purpose of establishing it as the national flower of Panama. 



Among the most showy of the local orchids are the species of 

 Oncidium, commonly known as butterfly orchids, a fitting name, 

 since the numerous widespread blossoms, golden yellow and often 

 mottled with broAvn and red, suggest a cloud of butterflies hovering 

 over the plant. The one here illustrated (pi. 5), Oncidiuni powellii, 

 is known only from Panama, and is one of the host of Panama 

 orchids that appropriately bear the name of the man who has done 

 most toward making them known. The Oncidiums constitute one 

 of the largest orchid groups, about 530 species having been described, 

 all American. They are frequently cultivated in the north and are 

 excellent as cut flowers. In Panama there are numerous species 

 occurring at all elevations. They are abundant locally about the 

 Zone, and someone told me of having seen a year or two ago a swamp 

 near the Atlantic coast where the plants in full blossom abounded 

 to such an extent that their golden color dominated the landscape. 

 In certain species of Oncidium the flower sprays in age reach a 

 lerijrth of 10 to 15 feet. 



