2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 87 



there is a great similarity between the flora of the southeastern 

 Colombian lowlands and that of eastern Ecuador and northeastern 

 Peru, all strictly Amazonian in character, in the mountains a much 

 smaller number of species are common to both Colombia and Peru, 

 and these invariably are to be found throughout the Ecuadorean 

 mountains. The Lobb " Colombia " collections are mainly mountain 

 types. 



In investigating this subject I have been greatly assisted by 

 Mr. S. C. Skan, the assistant librarian of the Royal Botanic Gardens, 

 Kew, who has forwarded copies of papers relating to Lobb which 

 are preserved there, and by Dr. H. A. Gleason, Dr. I. M. Johnston, 

 and Mr. A. C. Smith, partly for examining questionable Lobb speci- 

 mens for me and partly for supplying information about Lobb col- 

 lections represented in groups they are studying. 



LOBE'S ITINERARY 



Definite information concerning Lobb's itinerary in South America 

 is difficult to obtain. William Lobb was for many years (1840-1857) 

 a collector for the well-known horticultural firm of James Veitch and 

 Sons, of London. In 1906 the firm published the " Hortus Veitchii," ^ 

 a work containing biographical sketches of the numerous collec- 

 tors sent out by the firm, as well as lists of the more important plants 

 collected and introduced into European horticulture through their 

 efforts. Of William Lobb it is stated : *• 



.... he gladly accepted a proposal .... to go on a mission to various 

 parts of South America for the purpose of collecting plants, and he sailed from 

 Plymouth in 1840 for Rio Janeiro. On his arrival in Brazil he first proceeded to 



the Orgaos Mountains he then left for Chile, crossing the great pampas 



of the Argentine Republic and the Chilean Andes. Continuing southwards, Lobb 

 penetrated the great Araucaria forests .... 



He returned to England in 1844, renewed his engagement, and sailed again 

 for Brazil in April of the following year. 



After sending home from Rio Janeiro a consignment of plants collected in 

 Southern Brazil, he proceeded to Valparaiso for the purpose of exploring South- 

 ern Chile .... 



Following up these brilliant achievements, he continued explorations in 

 Valdivia, Chiloe, and Northern Patagonia .... Lobb returned to England in 

 1848. 



* Pp. 37-40. This account of William Lobb is taken from Veitch's Manual of 

 Coniferae, compiled by Adolphus Kent. No additional information bearing on 

 Lobb's route is given in the earlier work. 



' Pp. 37 sq. 



