IN TROD VC TORY. 



In issuinj;- this Prcliniinarv CatalogiU', I do so with no desire 

 to convey an impression that my work in this respect is in any way 

 complete; but simply to enter a Avedge, to inspire the few who 

 are working in the field to greater energy. 



Few species are recorded in the Liverworts, and Lichens ; 

 and in the lower forms of Pond Life, and Fungi, as very little col- 

 lecting or study has so far l>een done in tlu^se classes. 



In this preliminary list I shall not enter into the details of our 

 geology and topography, sutTice it to say the State promises more of in- 

 terest to the botanist than probaldyany other east of the Mississippi 

 river, as it a})pears to he the southern limit of many l)oreal, the 

 northern of many austral, and the eastern limit of many occidental 

 forms. It bids fair also to continue to present many novelties; 

 this may especially be said of all that unexplored and fascinating 

 region laying south of the Great KunaAvha River, a region that 

 as far as I can learn the foot of a Naturalist has never trod. 



With the exception of a few transient Botanists who have 

 worked over, for their own personal pleasure, the neighborhood of 

 some vacation resort the only attempts at obtaining a knowledge 

 of the vegeteble resources of the State may be summarized as fol- 

 lows : 



1867 and 1871, Dr. A. S. Todd as Chairman of a Committee 

 of the Medical Society of West Virginia, published a list of the 

 "Medicinal Plants of West Virginia." This list contains an enumer- 

 ation of 9 trees, 7 shrubs, and GO herbs. 



1870. Mr. DissDebarr, State Commissioner of Immigration in 

 his "Handbook of West Virginia," compiled a list of the timl)er 

 trees of the State, in which he enumerated 52 species and added 

 12 species of shrubs. 



1876. Prof. Fontaine in compiling his portion of the Centen- 

 nial volume upon the "Resources of West Virginia," listed more 

 carefully the forest trees, shrubs and medicinal i)lants of the State, 

 drawing the last from the publication of Dr. Todd. This work con- 

 tains an enumeration of 69 trees and 16 shrubs. 



1878. Profs. H. N. Mertz and G. Guttenberg pul)lished a 



