11 INTRODUCTION. 



grounds. On the other hand, in a district so extensive, and, 

 in some portions, so imperfectly explored, we may anticipate 

 that a few plants still remain to be discovered, as well as 

 many additional facts to be recorded regarding the distribu- 

 tion of those already met with. 



Our meagre botanical literature has been made use of to 

 its full extent, as follows : two or three local references 

 in the works of Hudson and Ray ; a few pamphlets and 

 manuscripts; some notices of Bristol plants, published chiefly 

 in the Phytologist; and Swete's "Flora Bristoliensis," issued 

 in; 1854. Of the MS., a catalogue of Somersetshire plants 

 by W. Sole, in the possession of Mr. T. B. Flower, is the 

 most important. The notices in periodicals were mostly 

 written by Mr. Flower, whose acquaintance with Bristol 

 botany covers a period of half a century. He supplied a 

 very large number of the localities given in Swete's "Flora," 

 and to him we also are much indebted for many interesting 

 and valuable communications. Withering's "Arrangement" 

 contains many references to the vicinity of Bristol, but they 

 are little to be relied on, and we have not thought it advis- 

 able to quote them, unless when confirmed by recent obser- 

 vation. 



The Herbarium of the late Miss Powell, which is housed 

 in the Bristol Museum, and that of the late Dr. Stephens, 

 now the property of our Society, are excellent collections of 

 local plants, made by trustworthy botanists. In them we 

 have found specimens of great value, often corroborating 

 book records which, in the absence of confirmation, might 

 have been deemed unreliable and worthless ; and in some 

 instances furnishing examples of plants that cannot now be 

 found, and may since have become extinct. These collections 

 also possess the additional interest that they supplied a con- 

 siderable proportion of the localities mentioned by Swete, 



