By Mr. Theodore Hartweg. 



157 



roides, Azorella aretioides, Werneria disticha, Potentilla audi- 

 cola, Alchemilla nivalis, and a moss-like plant supposed to be a 

 species of Sisyrinchium, forming large tufts several feet square, 

 and rising from one to two feet above the surface of the soil ; these 

 masses are so compact that with great difficulty I succeeded in 

 separating a piece. 



The proper season for travelling having arrived, I became desirous 

 to resume my journey northwards, I accordingly despatched the 

 collections made about Quito to Guayaquil, and set out on the 

 21st of July for Popayan, where I arrived on the 17th of August, 

 after a painful journey of twenty-six days. 



The town of Popayan being situated in the valley of the river 

 Cauca, at an elevation of 5,900 feet, enjoys a mild climate, the 

 thermometer ranging between 65° and 70° throughout the year ; 

 most European fruits are cultivated here by the side of Cheri- 

 moyers, Coffee, Sugarcane, Pine-apples, Granadillas, and several 

 kinds of Plantain ; among the latter I observed one called 

 Pacifico or Otahete, esteemed for its fruit, which for size and 

 flavour is between Mnsa sapientum and paradisiaca; it is of recent 

 introduction, and judging from the name has been brought from 

 some of the islands in the Pacific Ocean. 



The Central Cordillera at the foot of which the town of Popayan 

 is built, and which is scarcely ever less than 10,000 feet in height, 

 attains its greatest elevation in the peaks of Purace, and a little 

 more to the south in Zotara ; they are both considerably above the 

 snow-line. The slopes of these mountains and the mountain-pass 

 of the Paramo de Guanacas, which connects the valley of the 

 Cauca with that of the Magdalena, afforded me ample occupation. 

 Here I found Myrica mollis, Psidium serici/forum, Eugenia Guaya- 

 villa, Meriania majalis, called Flor de Mayo, being a beautiful 

 shrub with large purple flowers, Palicourea popayanensis, Es- 

 callonia caracasana, Cinchona pubescens or "Palo requeson" 

 a tree from 20 to 30 feet in height producing sweet scented 



