262 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
wil find a most beautiful Tropeolum with yellow flowers, 
which I consider new. Tubers of it are among my bulbs and 
seeds. I have called it T. edulis, because the roots are eaten 
either roasted or boiled, in times of scarcity, by the poor 
natives of the Province of Colchagua, who call it “ Papas 
Cudas.” 
I shall endeavour, next year, to transmit home tubers of 
Tropeolum azureum of Miers; a most charming plant, which 
few persons have ever seen. I once found it producing its 
lovely blue flowers on the summit of a mountain called “ La 
Campana de Quillota,” nearly 4,000 feet above the level of 
the sea, and no where, save on this mountain, did I see it, 
during my rambles in Chili.— [All the plants mentioned above 
have arrived.—Ep. | 
Coquimbo, Nov. 20, 1841. 
Before leaving Valparaiso, I had the honour of writing and 
communicating my intended excursion to the north of Chili, 
for the purpose of collecting plants. I reached Copiapo 
about the end of June, and have since been occupied in ex- 
ploring the Departments of Copiapo, Balenar, and Trierina, 
having arrived in this place but a few daysago. I performed 
my journey by land across the sandy desert that lies between 
Copiapo and Huasco, and thence made my way hither (to 
Coquimbo) along the coast. 
lam most happy to inform you, that I have amassed a 
highly interesting collection of dried plants: the number is 
not so great as I had anticipated, but there are many novel 
and interesting species among them. During my progress I 
found no less than seven distinct kinds of Heliotropium, and 
as many of Nolana; several Adesmie, and a beautiful, new 
white-flowered Schizanthus. There are also several species 
of Cristaria, three of Tetragonia, and a most lovely plant, 
called by Bertero, if I do not mistake, Tecophilea, but distinct 
from the species of that genus which he found near Valparaiso ; 
also a charming new Mathewsia, and many things belonging 
to genera with which I am unacquainted. This collection, 
though not so large as what I transmitted to you from 
