1457 
the city in which Richard Spruce spent so much time when in 
Ecuador and from which he wrote many of his fascinating letters. 
It is in a treeless region, thickly. populated, with the land under 
a high state of cultivation. It is the chief fruit-growing region 
of Ecuador and nearly all kinds of temperate and tropical fruits. 
are sold. Here we were the guests of Professor Abelardo Pacha- 
no, of the Quinta Normal, and here we also met the Martinez 
brothers, men of science and influence in Ecuador. 
At another time we went from Huigra to Quito, from which 
we made side trips, going once as far north as San Antonio in 
quest of a new Opuntia which had been reported by the veteran 
naturalist, Ludovic Soederstrom. A species of Gunnera, near G. 
scabra, which was in cultivation at the American Legation at 
Quito, is shown in Figure 2, Plate 235. The gunneras of Ecuador 
are very ornamental and interesting, but are little understood 
and deserve careful study. 
Our most extended trip was into southern Ecuador, on which 
occasion we were accompanied by Professor Pachano. Here 
we traversed Humboldt and Bonpland’s route along the in- 
terandean valley. The road, which is only a trail, is almost 
impassable a great part of the year and we found it extremely 
bad even at the end of the dry season. 
We went from Huigra via Cafiar and Azogues to Cuenca, where 
we spent nearly a week. During that time we visited Bafios, 
another of Humboldt’s localities, where there are hot springs and 
a remarkable outcrop of marble. From Cuenca we went via 
Cumbe, Nabon, and Offa to Loja, all localities mentioned by 
Humboldt. At Loja we spent four days and then went down to 
Portovelo across a very remarkable semiarid valley, the Cata- 
mayo, where we found a number of strange cacti, including 
Cactus lanatus and Cactus laetus* of Humboldt. At Portovelo 
are located the mines of the South American Development Com- 
pany. It is a very beautiful little town with modern improve- 
and an up-to-date American hospital with an American doctor 
and nurse. Here we were the guests of the general manager 
and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Mellick Tweedy. This is 
* Lemaireocereus laetus (H.B.K.) Britton and Rose. 
Cactus laetus H.B.K., Nov. Gen. et Sp. 6:68. 1823. 
