FLORA OF BRAZIL. 165 
at Liverpool with all my collections, on the 11th of J uly, 
1841, having been absent five years and two months. 
To make known these collections, and to contribute my 
mite towards a Flora of Brazil, I have been induced 
to draw up an enumeration of my plants, with descriptions 
of such new Genera and Species as they may be found to con- 
tain, and occasional observations on those which have al- 
ready been published. It is only those that are engaged in 
prosecuting the study of Exotic Botany, who can appreciate 
the labour attending such an undertaking, it being no easy 
matter to determine what are, and what are not, known spe- 
cies, since so many Brazilian plants have of late years been 
published in various English, German and French periodicals, 
and other works. Indeed, the task of preparing this enume-* 
ration could never have been undertaken, but for the kindness 
of Sir William Hooker, and George Bentham, Esq. ; who, with 
the most generous liberality, have allowed me the freest use 
of their rich Libraries and Herbaria, with the benefit of their 
personal advice, whenever doubts or difficulties occurred. 
To Dr. Lindley, I am also deeply indebted, for the obliging 
manner in which he has consented to determine the Orchidee ; 
and likewise to Mr. J. Smith, the able Curator of the Royal 
Botanic Gardens at Kew, who has kindly offered to assist 
me in investigating the Ferns. In drawing up the catalogue, 
I have preferred following the running numbers of my list* to 
any other arrangement, as a great many species have yet to 
be examined and distributed. Where a species occurs with- 
Out a number, it is to be understood that the plant was not 
found in sufficient plenty to allow of the specimens being dis- 
tributed, 
* The entire collection, which Mr, Gardner has brought to England, 
amounts to little short of six thousand species, including the Acotyledonous 
Plants, and is, as a whole, in the most beautiful state of preservation 
imaginable, and consisting of remarkably fine specimens. The majority of 
them are already dispersed among the subscribers, and the remainder 
are in a course of preparation for that purpose. e numbers, given with 
those collections, will be found to correspond with the numbering of the 
following species. —Ep. 
