INTRODUCTION 



The objects of the present book are (1) to enable 

 Beginners in Botany to take some interest in the wild 

 plants of Cape Colony and elsewhere, and to show 

 them how they are to be studied. The number of 

 plants in South Africa is so great that all that can 

 be done is to understand the structure of a certain 

 number only, and the phenomena of their plant life.^ 



But to be merely able to distinguish plants by the 

 structure of their flowers, or to know their names, is 

 by no means enough. We require to know, if possible, 

 why their leaves, as well as their flowers, are so 

 different from each other. This leads to the study of 

 their habits in association with their surrounding con- 

 ditions ; and we find that the structures of roots, stems, 

 leaves, etc., are just what is best for the plant, whether 

 it be living in a dry country like South Africa, or 

 in a humid one as England, or entirely in water. 



* The plants that I selected have been approved of by Dr. Sclion- 

 land, who kindly suggested a few more which I have incorporated ; 

 and I take this opportunity of tlianking Professor MacOwan for 



