PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. 



WHILE many of our English counties are furnished 

 with local Floras, and the adjoining counties of Surrey 

 and Hampshire have had their botany described, 

 Sussex has hitherto been without a separate guide to 

 its Wild Flowers, although it is one of the richest 

 botanical districts in Great Britain. 



The object of this work is to endeavour to supply 

 a want which, long experienced by myself, may also 

 have been felt by others. 



As I have studied the plants of my native county 

 for more than a quarter of a century and have been 

 greatly assisted by the best authorities in the several 

 districts, I venture to hope that the following list is a 

 reliable, although of course an imperfect one ; and 

 would here express my thanks to all those who have so 

 kindly aided me in various ways, whose names are 

 elsewhere mentioned. 



In the ensuing pages brevity has been sought as 

 much as possible, with a view of making this Flora, as 

 compared with those of other counties, a less expensive 

 one, especially since the study of botany is now be- 

 coming a recognised factor in education. When a 

 plant is common and generally distributed, I therefore 

 depart from the usual method of giving habitats for it; 

 but when rare or requiring special notice, the localities 

 of both early and recent observers are recorded. 

 Should others receive delight similar with my own, in 

 investigating the floral treasures of Sussex, this 

 attempt to direct their excursions will be well repaid. 



F. H. ARNOLD. 



Hermitage, Westbourne, 

 March, 1887. 



