OcToBER, 1922.] THE ORCHID REVIEW. 307 
THE ORCHID FLORA OF PERU. 
NDER the title “ Die Orchideenfloren der siidamerikanischen Kordill- 
erenstaaten,’’ Dr. R. Schlechter is making a valuable addition to the 
literature on Orchids. Part IV. of this important work is devoted to Peru. 
In the preface the author says that the Cordilleran States of South America 
have always been considered the richest in Orchids in the whole world, but 
up to the present it has not been possible to make a comparison with other 
regions, nor has any attempt yet been made to survey the Orchids of the 
individual States. 
Peru, next to Bolivia, the largest of the Cordilleran States, comprises 
the coast zone, the mountain zone and the forest zone, the whole being 
divided into twenty departments. Dr. Schlechter has compiled much 
condensed information concerning the temperatures and rainfall at various 
altitudes during different seasons, together with much topographical 
information of given localities. The history of the botanical exploration of 
Peru has been well given by A. Weberbauer in ‘‘ Die Pflanzenwelt der 
peruanischen Anden,’’ consequently Dr. Schlechter confines himself to 
mentioning only those collectors who have particularly contributed to 
furthering our knowledge of the Orchid flora of that country. 
Due acknowlement is given to the two Spanish botanists, H. Ruiz and 
J. Pavon, for our first knowledge of Peruvian Orchids. These explorers, in 
company with the French botanist, J. Bombey, landed at Callao in April, 
1778. After collecting in the provinces of Lima and Chancay, they went 
further inland to Tarma and Jauja. Returning to Lima, they went to the 
Huanuco department and explored particularly well this region, together 
With the remoter districts of Cuchero and Chinchao. They then travelled 
over Lima to Chile, where in two years much rich booty was collected, 
but this, together with the result of their labours in Huanuco, went down 
with the homeward-bound ship off the Portugese coast. In the inrentume; 
Ruiz and Pavon had returned to Peru, and had made Huanuco their base 
for further exploration. From here they visited both Pozuzo and Huanca- 
bamba, but a fire in their headquarters at Huanuco in August, 1785, 
destroyed the material of these zealous collectors for the second time. In 
Spite of these misfortunes they continued their explorations in Peru, return- 
ing to Europe from Callao in 1788. The results of their botanical travels in 
Peru are given in several important publications. No less than 65 pete 
Orchids are described in their ‘Systema Flore Peruviane et Chilensis, 
but the remark-on pp. 249-250 of this work allows one to conclude that 
much more had been collected. 
Dr. Schlechter continues by passing in ‘rapid review the work of the 
Collectors of Orchids in Peru, with dates, their journeyings where known, 
