PREFACE. 



I HAVE eiuleavoretl to prepare an inexpensive manual which will enable beginners in 

 botany to determine the names of all plants with conspicuous flowers, that may l)e found 

 growing wild in the Central Valley of California from Visalia to ]\lar}'sville and througli 

 the Coast Eanges from Monterey to Ukiah. Over six hundred species of plants are 

 characterized by descriptions condensed, for the most part, from Vol. I of the "Califor- 

 nia Botany," and Sereno Watson's "Revision of the North American Liliacce." Valu- 

 able material has also been obtained from a "Revision of the Eriogoneos," by Torrey and 

 Gray, Gi-ay's "Synojjtical Flora of North America," and "Gray's Manual of Botany." 



Plants belonging to the Parsnip, Aster, Willow, Oak and Pine Families, are not de- 

 scribed, being mostly too difficult for beginners, or of little interest to them. 



The Introductory Lessons are designed to show the learner how to study the growth of 

 plants, as m'cU as to give such knowledge of their structure as will enable him to under- 

 stand the descriptions in the Flora. 



The " Glossary of Generic and Specilic Names" will enable the student to make ap- 

 propriate common names for most plants. 



To the authors, whose works have furnished the materials for this book, is due the 

 credit for whatever of excellence it may possess; to the compiler, who may, in a few 

 cases, have misrepresented these authors, attaclies the blame for most of its defects. 



I am indebted for suggestions and criticisms to Prof. E. Hilgard, Dr. C. L. Anderson, 

 Prof. W. H. Brewer and Dr. Asa Gray. To the latter I am especially grateful for his 

 kind interest in my humble work, V. R. 



San Francisco, February, 1880. 

 CO 



