PREFACE:. 



has to count the iiumber of stamens, carpels, etc., before 

 he can hope to eventually name the plant. Now, this is 

 quite a difficult matter for a beginner, there being in- 

 numerable pitfalls in his way ; and as Greek and Latin 

 names are used from the first, and the minute structures 

 to be examined require a considerable amount of previous 

 knowledge in order to be understood, the novice is gener- 

 ally discouraged from the very beginning. 



3. He may adopt what is known as the Natural System* 

 certainly the most scientific and reliable method. But, 

 unfortunately, it pre-supposes an extensive knowledge of 

 minute botanical structure external and internal com- 

 bined with a close familiarity with Latin and Greek terms, 

 and requires a very free use of time and an unlimited 

 amount of patience. 



4. Now, certain simple external characteristics of our 

 British wild plants can be made of considerable service 

 as determining factors in their identification. Through a 

 long process of evolution each species of plant has acquired 

 (1) a habit of flowering at one particular season, (2) a 

 pretty constant scheme of colouring, (3) a fairly fixed 

 size of flower, (4) a particular and distinctive form, and 

 (5) a habitat suited to its needs. Adding to these the 

 extremely varied structure of the different species in 

 flower, leaf, stem, and root, and the distinctive proper- 

 ties of the plant, we have a wealth of material which, if 

 adequately made use of, gives us a very efficient and 

 conspicuously easy method for naming our British wild 

 flowers. It is hoped that this may fairly claim to be the 

 most natural of artificial methods for identifying wild 

 flowers. 



The 1,223 species of British wild flowers are divided 

 into nine sections, according to the time of commencing 

 to flower. This is a convenient arrangement (especially 

 useful also in the seasonal or successional study of Nature), 

 as it breaks up the mass into smaller portions, increasing 

 gradually in size and complexity. 



The flowers of each month are then dealt with in a 

 more strictly analytic manner. Sub-sections include all 



