ea! 
PREFACE, pa 
A considerable portion of new matter is also intro-. 
duced, which ought perhaps rather to have been ad- 
dressed to the world through the medium of the uni- 
versal language of natural science, yet in conformity to 
the principal intention of the work, and in compliance 
with the public to whom it is addressed, an uniform 
language appeared necessary. ; 
It will readily be perceived that a Synopsis of the Ge- 
nera is what is chiefly intended by the present pubes: 
tion. And to assist the student more fully in the know- ee 
iedge of genera, the essential character has sometimes. ‘ 
been extended, after the manner of the celebrated 
Sprengel’s recent Introduction to the Study of Botany. 
I have also considered it of importance to give asketch © 
_of the habit or mode of vegetation assumed by the 
“generic group in imitation of Jussieu’s Genera Planta- s 
rum, from which important assistance on this sub 
has been perpetually derived throughout the work. 
A view of the Geographical distribution of each ge- 
nus is also added, not always perhaps sufficiently accu- 
rate for the existing state of the science, and the “aie : 
progress of modern discovery, 
A brief Catalogue of the species is offered, whic 
may.be considered as supplementary to the recent and 
<extetidive Flora of North America by Frederick Pursh. © 
Occasional remarksare added, and hew species also pro- | 
posed and introduced, the result of personal collections 
and observations made from the year 1809 to the pre- 
sent time, throughout most of the states and territories _ 
egperining the Union. oe 
~ To the names of species or genera proposed. ry: th 
aikos: will be found an asterisk (*) prefixed. To 
