FOREWORD 



Dr. Mosher's monograph of the grasses of Illinois represents a type 

 of work that is needed for every natural or economic group of Illinois 

 plants. It is not a compilation or a perfunctory systematic account 

 of plants known or thought to occur in Illinois; but it is based on 

 personal examination of scattered earlier records and a critical veri- 

 fication of the meaning of the entries in them where specimens exist 

 for such verification. The thoroness with which all available mate- 

 rials have been scanned is e\ddent from the fact that of the two hun- 

 dred and four species admitted by Dr. Mosher over one-fifth are now 

 recorded for the first time as occurring in Illinois. That the nomen- 

 clature of the paper does not entirely conform to that of the latest 

 general floras marks an added point of excellence, for it rests on the 

 later and maturer judgment of Mrs. Agnes Chase (whose large per- 

 sonal herbarium was presented to the University several years ago) 

 and Professor A. S. Hitchcock, who are admittedly the American au- 

 thorities on grasses today, and whose aid has been given freely as the 

 studj=" progressed. 



William Trelease 

 Urbana, March 20, 1918 



