PREFACE. IX 
found in the author's herbarium, which, according to a verbal 
wish expressed a few hours before his death, has been presented 
to the Royal Botanical Museum of Berlin*. In view of the great 
value of the gift the Prussian Government has granted the sum 
of one thousand Marks towards defraying the expenses of the 
present publication. 
Among the papers left by Dr. Hillebrand were several 
pages, numbered consecutively, of what was evidently the rough 
draft of the commencement of an Introduction to the present 
work. <A portion of it bore evidence of having been written at 
an earlier period than the rest, and there was want of connection 
between parts. There were besides a few pages devoted to a 
discussion of the origin and development of the Hawaiian flora 
as revealed by a study of the Ferns, and a number of fragmentary 
notes and observations. Notwithstanding their incompleteness 
and the uncertainty as to whether they fairly represent throughout 
the views held by the author up to the time of his death it 
has been deemed advisable to publish both the Introduction and 
notes as found, with only such slight emendations as were ab- 
solutely necessary. It is probable that the Introduction, had the 
author lived to complete and elaborate it, would have been a 
very important feature of his book and of high scientific value, 
for his long residence on the Islands fitted him preeminently to 
discuss in their greatest breath the interesting questions of the 
origin and development of the Hawaiian flora. 
It was known to be the author's intention that the Flora 
should contain some elementary outline of botany, for the 
convenience chiefly of amateurs in the Hawaiian Islands. No 
arrangements had been made, however, in regard to this, and it 
is uncertain that any would have been made. I felt that such 
an addition to the work would be of value in certain directions, 
and therefore endeavored to meet his wish in this respect by 
sajece ing from Messrs. L. — & Co., of London, the right to 
he Royal Herbarium at Kew bagel possesses numerous specimens sent thither 
by Dr. Be Eater previous to the year 187 
