SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
July 31, 1923 
Mr. Oakes Ames, 
355 Commonwealth Avenue, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 
Dear Mr. Ames: 
Under separate cover we are forwarding three specimens 
of orchids received a few days ago from Doctor Calderon for 
which we should appreciate having your identifications when 
convenient. The specimens, of course, are not to he re¬ 
turned to us. The Honduran orchid is in very poor condition 
for determination, hut perhaps you may recognize the genus. 
Doctor Calderon is interested in learning its identity be¬ 
cause of the vernacular names assigned to it. I suspect, 
however, that the names may he applied erroneously to the 
plant. 
Today I made an attempt to obtain the alcoholic materi¬ 
al of the vanilla flowers. Doctor Piper unfortunately is 
away from Washington at the present time and wall not return 
until the middle of September. The people in his office 
are not able to find the material, and I am afraid that it 
will be necessary to await his return in order to secure it. 
The dried specimens which he collected are all here in the 
herbarium awaiting study, but he has not transmitted to us 
any of the alcoholic material which he collected. 
Sincerely yours 
Paul C. Standley 
Associate Curator, 
Division of Plante 
