E F A. C E. ?**- 



k UR principa.1 objects in publishing these descriptions and illustrations of 

 the Natal Flora are : 1st. To enable colonists to identify some of the wild 

 plants coming under their notice, and to call attention to points of interest 

 connected with them. 2nd. To endeavour to stimulate a continued interest in 

 Botany among younger colonists who may have acquired a knowledge of the 

 rudiments of the science at school, and who may be in danger of losing interest 

 in the subject for want of such information as we may perhaps be able to supply. 

 3rd. To put on record accurate botanical descriptions and figures of noteworthy 

 plants which may be of use to botanists generally. 4th. To publish in the 

 colony descriptions of plants new to science found in Natal. 



Having these somewhat diverse objects in view it became a little difficult to 

 so arrange our description, that while enabling those only slightly acquainted with 

 botany and botanical terms, to use it without too much difficulty, it would still be 

 of value to trained botanists. The former class may think that the language used 

 is too technical, and without some little effort and attention they may find that 

 such is the case, but we submit that a little study, with the assistance of such a 

 glossary as is attached to any botanical text book, and with the help of the figures 

 and native names given, no intelligent colonist need be long in identifying any of 

 the plants figured. 



To the skilled botanist we ought perhaps to apologise for the inclusion among 

 what should strictly be specific characters, of many of generic, or ordinal value, 

 but this will be understood by them when considering the other classes for whom 

 we write. Though we trust this effort will be useful to many, we regard it as 

 simply bringing somewhat nearer, what will, we hope, ere long be published, a full. 

 " Flora of Natal," but meantime through insufficient detailed knowledge of the 

 plants throughout the colony, paucity of workers, lack of time and funds, together 

 with the small amount of interest taken by the general public in the subject, this 

 much to be desired end is still far off, but every effort of this kind serves to bring 

 it nearer. 



Should the perusal of this work inspire those unacquainted with botany to 

 take up the study, we would recommend careful reading of any elementary text 

 book on botany, comparing the knowledge gained with living plants. When a 

 full knowledge of the parts of plants, and the terms generally used has been 

 acquired, a study of the classification should be attempted, trying to place the 

 commoner and more easily accessible ones in their proper Natural Orders. 

 Familiarized with this, an attempt may then be made to refer them to their 

 respective genera, and here Wood's " Key to the Orders and Genera of Natal 

 plants," will be found of use ; it would be advantageous too if Dr. Harvey's 

 " Genera of South African plants " could be used in connection with Mr. Wood's 

 work, as here the genera are fully described. Beyond this stage no completed work 

 is available, tor the " Flora Capensis," which enables a botanist to identify the 

 species of any South African plant already named, is not yet completed, though 

 now in hand and likely to be an accomplished fact before very long. But the 

 Colonial Herbarium now at the Botanic Gardens, Berea, in which are about 7,500 



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