BRITTON, 
PREFACE 
There are definitely known from the Philippines at the present time 
about 6,500 species of flowering plants and vascular cryptogams, distributed 
into about 1,450 genera, in 200 families. Many of the species are of very 
local occurrence, while others are confined to medium and higher altitudes 
in the mountains, and are hence never seen by the average resident of the 
Archipelago. The flora of the coastal region, especially of the populated 
areas, is remarkably uniform, practically the same forms being found in 
and about such towns as Zamboanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Aparri, etc., as are 
found about Manila, so that for all practical purposes a flora of the 
vicinity of Manila is also a nearly complete flora for most inhabited regions 
at low altitudes in all parts of the Archipelago. Accordingly while most of 
the plants encountered in the settled areas at low altitudes will be found 
to be described in the present work, it will be found to be of little value for 
the determination of specimens collected in the forests and on the mountains. 
In compiling this work an attempt has been made to include all the 
species of vascular cryptogams and flowering plants growing naturally 
within the area selected, as well as most of the cultivated forms, both of 
Philippine and of foreign origin. The area covered extends from a point 
north of Manila on the bay shore at Malabon, inland through Balintuac, 
San Francisco del Monte etc., to Pasig, thence to the town of Paranaque 
on the bay shore south of Manila, covering approximately 100 square 
kilometers (about 40 square miles). No part of the area exceeds an 
altitude of 50 meters, and no part of it approaches primeval conditions, 
the vegetation of the entire region having been profoundly altered by the 
presence of man. 
This “Flora” is based on botanical material preserved in the herbarium 
of the Bureau of Science, supplemented by an extensive series of notes 
covering a period of exploration of the area extending over eighteen months. 
Undoubtedly future intensive exploration will add a considerable number 
of species to the list of indigenous ones, while the list of introduced and 
cultivated species is being very rapidly increased. Scattered individuals 
of any species found in neighboring provinces at low altitudes are to be 
expected within our area, and as a matter of fact a considerable number 
. of species are included in the present work on the basis of single plants 
~ observed within the region covered by it. In early botanical works, various 
= monographs etc., many Philippine species are credited to the Archipelago 
> . . . 
S’as having been collected in Manila; very many of these references are 
erroneous, the term Manila having been used more or less synonymously 
ts With the Philippines. Most of the species so referred to were collected in 
| on 
regions remote from the city, and very many of them on other islands 
than Luzon. No species has been included unless specimens have been seen 
from the area selected. 
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