Verlag von Gebrüder Borntraeger in Berlin 
SW 11 Dessauerstraße 29 
Preface 
With this pamphlet I purpose to begin a series of publications 
which will be devoted to the investigation of our Asiatic colonial Flora. 
Up to this time, many different nations, English, French, Dutch 
and above all the Spanish, (to mention only the names of Branco, 
Vırrar and VaL), have taken part in the investigations of the flora 
of the Philippines. 
Now that these in many respects little known Islands, have 
come into the possession of the United States, it will be an honor- 
able task for the American botanists to devote their energies to 
the plant world of the Philippines. 
Realizing the importance of the theme, I have undertaken to 
work up the old and new collections belonging to the Berlin Museum. 
Prof Warsurs has permitted me the use of his extensive and 
extremely valuable Philippine material, which collection, with the 
duplicates of the plants that Mr. Mznnrur and Capt. Amery have been so 
assiduously collecting in the Philippines, and have sent to the Berlin 
Museum, has formed the most important foundation for my publi- 
cation. In order to secure a reliable starting-point for all determina- 
tions, it is absolutely necessary to compare the plants with the types 
contained in the European herbaria. 
The work of the Spanish botanists, which was carried on with 
a diligence deserving of great praise, failed in many cases of the 
expected results, because they were not in a position to study the 
originals of the early established species. 
As place for working, I have selected the Botanical Museum 
of Berlin, where the collection of Cuming is well represented and 
where I can have access to a largo mass of Indo-Malayan material. 
