PREFACE 



To the lover of Nature, whether scientist or layman, one of 

 the greatest charms of travel is seeing the many new and Into 

 ing plants inhabiting the various parts of the world. 



For a good many years the writer has had occasion to visit 

 many countries in the quest of material for his botanical studii 

 and although these investigations, for the mosl part, have not 

 been concerned primarily with plant distribution, nevertheless the 

 general vegetation of the various places visited, and the relations 

 of the different floras to each other, have always been subjecl 

 the greatest interest. 



Moreover, for some years past, these botanical excursions hi 

 been devoted to a considerable extent directly to problems of 

 plant distribution; and although the writer can hardly lay claim 

 to rank as a plant geographer, he has nevertheless contributed in 

 a small way to the subject. 



It is conceivable that one who is, in a way, an amateur may I e 

 more likely to appreciate the more salient features of a flora than 

 the specialist in some particular group of such a flora: and this 

 may be offered as an explanation of the writer- venturing into a 

 field where he can scarcely expect to be looked upon as an expert. 



In a volume of moderate size dealing with so vast a subj< 

 plant geography, it is obvious that anything beyond a -ketch i- 

 impossible; but it is hoped that the outline offered here will pin 

 sufficiently clear and accurate to give a fairly satisfactory picture 

 of the most notable features of the vegetation characteristic of 

 the more important botanical regions, lor the minuter details. 

 of course, one must refer to the many treatises dealing with the 

 floras of special countries. 



For more than thirty years the writer has made excursions into 

 many parts of the world, and the specimens, notes, sketches and 

 photographs accumulated during these journeys, have served 

 the basis of the present volume. These personal data have l.< ■ 

 supplemented by free use of such standard general work 

 of Drude and Schimper, as well as the descriptive floras of many 



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