PREFACE ix 



written the general preliminary part in language as 

 simple as possible, and have appended a very full Glossary 

 in addition to a complete Index. 



I venture to call attention to a feature of the book 

 which may prove of considerable value to the Forest- 

 botanist. As is well known, the Willows are in any case 

 a very difficult group, even for the expert, and their 

 difficulties are increased when, as often happens, the 

 collector finds only the staminate or only the pistillate 

 flowers available. In order to minimise these difficulties 

 I have added, in an Appendix, a supplementary table 

 of classification by characters derived from the staminate, 

 or from the pistillate flowers respectively. 



For the rest, it may suffice to point out the very 

 thorough and detailed descriptions and illustrations of the 

 Forest-trees especially, the small green and complex 

 inflorescences and flowers of which are so often over- 

 looked, or inadequately dealt with, in text-books and 

 Floras. A careful study of their morphology will open up 

 to the student new delights in several directions. The 

 same also applies to the Conifers, a group far too little 

 known to English students. 



In the treatment of the difficult subject of In- 

 florescences, the reader will find everything making for 

 simplicity : the more involved Cymose inflorescences 

 being rarely found in the plants here concerned. At 

 the same time I have introduced sufficient concerning 

 morphology and development to make the study of more 

 difficult forms intelligible. 



