X INTRODUCTION. 



J. E. Smith's '■^ Inlrodaclion to Botany" wlieie we have ourselves 

 given the characters of all the Natural Orders. Dr Liiidley's 

 " Sipwpsis of the Britisli Flora;'* and Dr Macreight's " Manual 

 of British Botany," are arranged exclusively according to the 

 Natural System. 



The labour of compiling the Flora of a country, by a careful 

 examination and comparison of specimens themselves, whether 

 in a living or dried state, can only be appreciated by those who 

 have been engaged in an employment of the same kind. The 

 collecting of materials, indeed, in their native hills and valleys, 

 upon the sea-shore, in the woods, and among the majestic alpine 

 scenery with which the northern parts of our island eminently 

 abound, generally in the society of friends of a congenial taste, 

 or students full of ardour and enthusiasm, has been a very de- 

 lightful occupation, especially when taken in conjunction with 

 " anticipations of the pleasure we may have to bestow on kindred 

 minds with our own, when sharing with them our discoveries 

 and our acquisitions." And the task of describing them has, in 

 the present instance, been considerably lightened by the valuable 

 assistance afforded by many of the most able Botanists of our 

 country, whose names are mentioned, as far as it was consistent 

 with the nature of the undertaking, when treating of the re- 

 spective plants they have tended to illustrate. Mr Borrer, Mr 

 W. Wilson, the Rev. Professor Henslow, the Rev. M. J. Ber- 

 keley, the late Rev. J. S. Tozer, the Rev. G. E. Smith, Mrs 

 Griffiths, Miss Warren,t Dr Dewar, Mr Babington, Mr Christy, 

 Pvir H. C. Watson, Dr Graham, Mr xMacnab, Mr J. E. Bowman, 

 and Mr R. B. Bowman, have, in an especial manner, rendered 

 service both by notes and illustrative specimens. The first of 

 these gentlemen has kindly undertaken a complete revision of 

 the genera BIyosotis, Rosa, and Ruhus ; whilst to Mr Wilson, 

 whose acuteness and botanical ardour are beyond all praise, I 

 am indebted for many important remarks in the present as well 

 as in the preceding editions. Mr Babington has obligingly 

 communicated to me, and permitted me to use his MS. notes 

 on the new and rare species of Plants which he and Mr Christy 



* Of which the 2(] edition appeared in J835. 

 t A highly accomplished Devonsliiie botanist, who lias lately published an 

 interesting Botanical Chart, in which much valuable and useful information 



is given. 



