Vill PREFACE. 
the duplicates. He has been enabled by these means to ascer- 
tain satisfactorily all those figured in the Flora Peruviana, be- 
sides several new species; and in many instances, also, to clear 
up the many doubts and errors, which have long pervaded this 
valuable but intricate genus of plants. He has divided the 
whole into five sections, and given to each of the species spe- 
cific differential characters. The author has, in several cases, 
been obliged unwillingly to differ from the opinion of his friend 
the Baron de Humboldt, regarding the species figured in the 
Flora Peruviana; but the accidental advantage of his being 
in possession of thé specimens from which. these figures were , 
taken, and of having others named by M. Bonpland himself, will, 
he hopes, justify him in doing so...He intends hereafter-to give 
figures of all the species here described. It was a very fortunate | 
circumstance for him, that the celebrated Don Francisco Antonio 
Zea, whose authority is of such weight in this genus, was re- 
siding very lately for a considerable time in this country; and 
to whom he had shown all his specimens, and who agrees with 
him in most of the statements he has given. At the end of the 
specific descriptions, is added a list of the different kinds of 
Peruvian barks with their names, fine samples of which, amount- 
ing to forty-four sorts, he received from his much valued friend 
Don Jose Payon. | 
~The interesting seit. of Don Hippolito Ruiz, en the 
Myroxylon Peruiferum, he has here for the first time presented in 
_ the English language, and has added to it a plate, taken from very 
fine specimens, received from his often mentioned friend Pavon. 
It may here be interesting for botanists to learn, that the plates 
are finished of the fourth and fifth unpublished volumes of the 
