PREAMBLE. 



1817 in my florula Liidoviciana, on such distinc- 

 tions wore adopted by Dccandole. 



I^indlcy seldom quotes me, and only by rico- 

 chet as the French say, not knowing or not car- 

 ing for my works or labors, I shall show his 

 blunder about the Skilla Ciipaniafia, to which 

 he adds two of my plants, both distinct, with 

 blue and white flowers, while his has purple 

 flowers. — When he shall receive this Work 

 and be astonished by my 2000 rectified Genera, 

 he may if he likes probably treat me even worse 

 than ISpach ; but although he may deny my 

 New Genera, he cannot say that I make them • 

 on leaves, nor stipules, nor sperm-pollen, nor 

 inside of the seeds or eggs of plants. Thus 

 they cannot involve any one in perplexity, and 

 are all conspicuous. Nor shall he find me adopt- 

 ing any barbarous or compound exploded name, 

 such as Cotone-Aster (my Cotonea^ nor 

 Amelanchier (my Amelancus) ; nor Mus Cart 

 the Cari Mouse, else Musca Ri the Ri fly ; 

 for my Genus Kubotrys t^c. 



I hope he may deem my Genera of the Lin- 

 nean G. Allium, as good as his own Hespero- 

 scordam and Nectaroscordurn, rather long 

 uncouth names, which however need not be 

 changed. 1 hope he may admit that my pre- 

 vious Genera Clintonia (1817) Oxyurus 

 (1810) &c, ought to prevail over his of same 

 names, changed by me into Gynampsis and 

 Steiractis. 



Whatever he or others may think or say of 

 my labors, they cannot find me inconsistent, nor 

 in contradiction. Within 40 years of botanical 

 investigations I have always been consistent in 

 deeming that Genera and Species ought to 

 he reformed till they become perfect, and tin- 



