PREFACE. 
WueEN this work was commenced, a little more than twelve years ago, the main object 
in view was the collection of the widely scattered data bearing upon the phyto- 
geography of the region, in order to ascertain to what extent the phenomena agreed 
with, or deviated from, those obtaining in the Animal Kingdom, and also to supply as 
complete a synopsis of the flora as possible, so that its general character, relationships, 
and connections might be critically elaborated. Nevertheless, it was hoped that it 
would at the same time prove a substantial and useful contribution to Systematic 
Botany ; and as the work proceeded greater attention was bestowed upon this branch 
of the subject, so that ultimately it grew far beyond the dimensions originally laid 
down. As this great task was undertaken by one person, it was necessary to keep it 
within limits as narrow as were consistent with the aim in view, to ensure a reasonable 
prospect of its being completed. A critical determination of the vast amount of 
material in the Kew Herbarium alone was out of the question, to say nothing of the 
supplemental collections in other establishments; yet it was difficult to decide where 
to draw the line. At first it was thought practicable to include the named materials 
at Kew, the British Museum, and Paris—the first forming a wide and trustworthy 
basis for genera, and largely also for species, resulting from the labours of Bentham 
and Hooker, in connection with their now happily completed invaluable ‘Genera 
Plantarum ’; but this plan had to be abandoned in consequence of the risk of confusion 
arising from diverse determinations in the various herbaria; and it was decided not to 
attempt doing more than could be accomplished at Kew. ‘This course has been 
adversely criticised, but having intentionally and purposely thus curtailed the scope 
of the work, such criticisms call for no further reply. Considering that, for obvious 
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