PREFACE. Vi 
to be necessary were made. With regard to the citation of 
previous authors, I have as a rule considered it unnecessary to do 
more than quote the publications that deal solely or mainly with New 
Zealand botany, such as Forster's Prodromus, A. Richard’s Flora, 
Cunningham’s Precursor, Raoul’s Choix, and the works of Hooker 
and Kirk? Had I given references to general works on botany or to 
special monographs, the bulk of this work would have been greatly 
increased without sufficient corresponding advantage. I have, how- 
ever, quoted the publication in which the species under consideration 
was first described ; and, in the case of those plants which extend to 
Australia or Tasmania, I have usually given a reference to Bentham’s 
“Flora Australiensis”” or Hooker’s “Flora of Tasmania.” The 
synonomy I have treated in a similar manner. As far as the informa- 
tion at my command would permit, I have quoted all published names 
of endemic New Zealand plants, and all names founded upon New 
Zealand specimens. Further quotation would, in my opinion, be 
neither necessary nor expedient for the purposes of this work. 
Every botanist who prepares a Flora starts from the standpoint 
reached by his predecessors in the same field. In the subjoined his- 
tory of botanical discovery in New Zealand I have endeavoured to 
give a sketch of the labours of all those who have investigated the 
botany of the colony, either as authors or collectors, and who have 
thus assisted in providing material for future study and research. 
But, in addition, it is advisable to briefly mention the chief material 
upon which the present work is founded. At the outset I must state 
that I have relied very largely upon my own notes and observations, 
formed during thirty-five years’ continuous study of the flora, and 
upon my herbarium, which I believe to be the largest and most com- 
plete formed by individual effort within the colony. 
I am indebted to the Education Department for the loan of that 
portion of the herbarium of the late Mr. Kirk which after his death 
was purchased by the New Zealand Government. Although com- 
prising only a small part of the collections formed by this active 
and enterprismg botanist, it nevertheless includes excellent and 
well-selected specimens of most of the species of the flora, in- 
cluding the types of the new species described by him, and has conse- 
quently proved an important aid to me. It is to be regretted that 
Mr. Kirk’s botanical papers and other manuscripts, none of which I 
have seen, were not included in this purchase. 
