INTRODUCTION. 11* 
widely distributed than others, some are extremely local, and 
some absolutely confined to a single spot. The importance, 
therefore, of indiscriminate collections of every plant of every 
neighbourhood, must be obvious. By this means we shall 
secure all the local plants, and be able to define the limits of 
the range of the more diffused,—a most interesting and im- 
portant part of Botany. And in few countries do the ranges 
of species present more curious results than in South Africa. 
The intervention of a plain, a river, a range of hills, often pro- 
duces a remarkable change of species; and a comparison of 
the plants of any two districts a hundred miles asunder, shows 
even among common plants, a Flora almost entirely distinct 
in species. It is well known that the Hrice are, with the ex- 
ception of a few stragglers, confined to the South-Western 
districts ; the arborescent Aloes and succulent Huphorbie to 
the Eastern ; the Stapelie chiefly to the Northern; the Acan- 
thacee, Rubiacee, Bignoniacee, and several other small but 
remarkable orders to the Eastern; that Restiacee, which cover 
the Western districts, are gradually supplanted by Grasses as 
we approach the Eastward ; that Leucadendron argenteum is 
confined to Table Mountain, and the Proteacee generally are 
much more numerous in the Western than the Eastern dis- 
tricts. It would be very easy to extend these general remarks 
on the geographical range of our families and genera, but I 
rather defer a question of this sort until an extended basis of 
observations made in all parts of the country shall have been 
laid, from which a correct sketch of the geography of South 
African plants may be drawn. And I may take this oppor- 
tunity of adding, that I am most anxious to obtain information 
on this very important subject. 
But I fear that many who might, from their position, ma- 
terially assist the progress of Botanical Science by making 
observations on, and collections of, the plants of their neigh- 
bourhoods, lie under the erroneous supposition that because 
they have little or no knowledge of Systematic Botany, they 
are incapable of making collections or observations that can 
be useful to a botanist. These should recollect that the 
greatest botanists are at best only students; there was a time 
