The Panama Canal 8l> 
Canal Zone 
Health Department 
page 2 
As I have probably previously written you, my old herbarium consisted only of 
flower specimens, no plants being preserved upon the idea that as I had them growing 
it was not necessary. Besides,as you know,the making of a plant specimen means the 
sacrificing of a plant from the garden to make it, and I did not have the plants to 
spare for that purpose. 
I will send you shortly in bottles specimens of the Gongoras. They are quite 
prolific bloomers and flower two to three times a year. Some are now in flower spike. 
The old Indian has not shown up since my return, but this is not surprising 
as I told him in December that I was going away and would not return until early in March. 
This reminds me to tell you that I found the much sought for Selenipedium longifolium 
on my trip and brought]^ home with me some dozen plants. They did not travel too well 
but I feel confident of saving a large part of them. 
I v/ill try and arrange the specimens on sheets so that they v/ill not bulk 
too much at any particular spot. This will be hard to do with Tropical American plants 
as the majority have large fat pseudobulbs with long leaves* and my efforts have been 
to get the entire plant on the sheet without cutting it. I v/ill bear the matter in mind. 
The Pleurothallis panamensis is not an original name given to my specimen, 
it had been heretofore determined and v/as published by Dr Schlechter in Fedde Kep't 
XVII - 1921, pp 138-144 of Orch Nov et Grit under No 685. The plant was discovered by 
» 
Dr Wagner in 1858. This plant will now have to lose its rank as being the smalle st 
of Pleurothalis 
because I procured tv/o different species/on my trip which are much smaller. 
Your note on Polystachya panamensis has been filed with my specimen. I have 
not a plant of P. minor but v/ill endeavor to procure it in the near future. I v/ould 
suggest,t£at in all cases of differences in opinion or in material that you take it 
up v/ith Dr Schlechter and adjust. This you know better about than I do. 
