IV FLORA OF VERMONT 



found. It has not been practicable, however, nor has it seemed important, 

 that the committee examine specimens from all the localities cited in the 

 list. Thus if the specimens from one locality have been verified and the 

 species is therefore admitted to the list, other stations are often cited upon 

 the authority of the collectors alone. But even in such cases, where there 

 was any reason for questioning the identity of the plant, its inspection by 

 recognized authorities has been secured. Stations cited on the sole author- 

 ity of older published lists are in quotation marks. 



These are busy times for the botanist who would keep informed in 

 matters of nomenclature. The committee had some appreciation of this 

 fact when undertaking its task, but this appreciation has increased during 

 the progress of the work. The aim has been, in accordance with the wish 

 of the Vermont Botanical Club, to follow a conservative policy in matters 

 of nomenclature. In all cases, unless otherwise stated, the preferred name 

 is that in accord with the usages of the Kew herbarium, which means in 

 general ths usage of the Gray Manual and the Synoptical Flora of North 

 America. Where the name established by the rules of the Botanical Club 

 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, as expressed 

 in the Britton-Brown Illustrated Flora, is at variance with this preferred 

 name, it follows in parenthesis. All such synonymous names are included 

 in the index. 



In the sequence of families the order is that of Engler and Prantl as 

 embodied in the Britton-Brown Illustrated Flora. This is accepted by 

 botanists generally as representing more nearly the natural relationship of 

 plants than does that of any of the older systems. It is believed that the 

 temporary inconvenience caused by this change, to those who are more 

 familiar with the older arrangements, will be more than counterbalanced by 

 the advantages which will follow acquaintance with the present one. 



The committee were in doubt as to whether it would not be wiser to 

 adopt the Engler-Prantl family names. Such would be the consistent 

 course and, doubtless, some will criticise the failure to follow it. Since it 

 involved the breaking up of several of the familiar groups like Rosaceae, 

 Leguminosae, etc., it was decided that the argument of present convenience 

 to most members of the club outweighed that of consistency. 



In indicating the degree of frequency of occurrence, four adjectives have 

 been used with a careful attempt at precision, namely, " common," " fre- 

 quent," "occasional," "rare." In each case this statement regarding 

 frequency is to be associated with the accompanying statement regarding 

 habitat, — thus "sandy soil, common" means common on sandy soils; 

 and such a plant may be rare in other habitats. The term "rare" has 

 been reserved for those plants which are known to occur in but few stations 

 and there but sparingly. Where they are abundant in such stations the 

 word " local " has been preferred. In cases where but four or five stations 



