INTRODUCTION. H* 



widely distributed than others, some are extremely local, and 

 some absolutely confined to a single spot. The importance, 

 therefore, of indiscriminate collections of every plant of everi/ 

 neighbourhood, must be obvious. By this means we shall 

 secure all the local plants, and be able to define the limits of 

 the range of the more diffused,— a most interesting and im- 

 portant part of Botany. And in few countries do the ranges 

 of species present more curious results than in South Afri'ca. 

 The intervention of a plain, a river, a range of hills, often pro- 

 duces a remarkable change of species ; and a comparison of 

 the plants of any two districts a hundred miles asunder, shows 

 even among common plants, a Flora almost entirely distinct 

 in species. It is well known that the EHccb are, with the ex- 

 ception of a few stragglers, confined to the South- Western 

 districts ; the arborescent Aloes and succulent EuphorhicB to 

 the Eastern ; the Sfapelice chiefly to the Northern; the Acan- 

 thacea, BiiUacecd, Bignoniacece, and several other small but 

 remarkable orders to the Eastern ; that Bestiacece, which cover 

 the Western districts, are gradually supplanted by Grasses as 

 we approach the Eastward ; that Leucadendron argenteum is 

 confined to Table Mountain, and the Broteacece generally are 

 much more numerous in the Western than the Eastern dis- 

 tricts. It would be very easy to extend these general remarks 

 on the geographical range of our families and genera, but I 

 rather defer a question of this sort until an extended basis of 

 observations made in all parts of the country shall have been 

 laid, from which a correct sketch of the geography of South 

 African plants may be drawn. And I may take this oppor- 

 tunity of adding, that I am most anxious to obtain information 

 on this very important subject. 



But I fear that many who might, from their position, ma- 

 terially assist the progress of Botanical Science by making 

 observations on, and collections of, the plants of their neigh^ 

 bourhoods, lie under the erroneous supposition that because 

 they have little or no knowledge of Systematic Botany, tliey 

 are incapable of making collections or observations that can 

 be useful to a botanist. These should recollect that the 

 greatest botanists are at best only students ; there was a time 



