Vili PREFACE, 
A Map of the Colony of the Cape of Gvod Hope and 
neighbouring Territories. By A. de Smidt, 1876. 
Map of the Transvaal and the surrounding Territories. By 
F. Jeppe, 1880. 
Spezial-Karte von Afrika. Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1885. 
Reviewing the contents of the present volume, two points 
may seem to invite some criticism, A considerable number 
of species appear never to have been collected but once. 
Many are still only known from descriptions and figures pub- 
lished in the last century, and are unrepresented in herbaria. 
It is difficult, however, to believe that they are really extinct. 
The fact is more probably accounted for by the extremely 
- local limitation of species in South Africa, which is hardly 
paralleled in this respect by any other Flora in the world. 
In the case of succulent genera, such as Aloe and Haworthia, 
herbarium speciniens are lamentably deficient. But Mr. 
Baker has had the advantage of having had under observation 
for years the collection of succulent plants at Kew, which in 
extent is undoubtedly unique. Many of these have been, in 
all probability, under cultivation in the Royal Gardens since 
their introduction in the last century. The advantage of con- 
sulting living specimens is of peculiar importance in describing 
the Petaloid Monocotyledons. But in the case of the suc- 
culent genera, it may be safely said that, without it, the task 
would not be possible at all. Unfortunately, when the 
majority of these plants were introduced, little importance 
was attached to their exact localization; and this, therefore, 
for the present, must remain for the most part unrecorded, 
It only remains to follow the example of my predecessors, 
and give some account of those among a great body of con- 
tributors who have supplied Kew with the most important 
recent collections. 
Two names will be for ever memorable in the history of 
South African Botany. 
More than thirty years have rolled away since Professor 
Harvey bore eloquent testimony to the indefatigable services 
of Peter MacOway, Esq., B.A., F.L.S.,then Principal of Shaw’s 
College, Grahamstown, now Government Botanist, ‘Time has 
