INTKODUCTION. VU 



When of two parts, each measured from its own extremities, the dimensions 

 are equal, I have used that term ; but it not unfrequently happens, by the 

 position of the parts, that the shorter may extend as far, or farther, than the 

 longer. In that case it is equalling or exceedinr/. Thus, in some of the 

 Cruciferse the blade of the petal is shorter than the sepal, which it nevertheless 

 by its position exceeds. The labels of some of the Orchidese will also afford 

 examples of this sort. In the same manner I distinguish, when needful, between 

 sJioi'ter than andi falling short of. 



Besides a. for annual, b. biennial, and p. perennial, I have employed w. for 

 woody, where the plant is so small that it would not in common speech be called 

 a shrub, altho^^gh the substance indicates such a nature. The genus Helianthe- 

 mum offers abundant examples to explain my meaning. s.S. is small shrub, l.S. 

 large shrub, s.T. small tree, l.T. large tree : terms which I think wiU be sufficiently 

 intelligible, without fixing on any precise number of feet, which, in a character 

 so variable as size, is more likely to mislead than assist the inquirer. 



In the localities given, there are also one or two peculiarities, independent of 

 the abbreviations. By Shore, without any addition, I mean the sea-shore, the 

 part more or less influenced by the salt atmosphere ; by Coast, a large extent of 

 country, affected by the more even temperature of the sea, but not by its salt. 

 I use the name of the river for the valley drained by it. I leave out the words 

 place, soil, &c., as easily supplied by the reader, who will find that in many other 

 cases I have omitted words necessary to make the sentences flow freely, where 

 there can be no difiiculty in supplying them. Thus, cult, means cultivated ground; 

 and I have used uncult., not for heaths and districts entirely in a state of nature, 

 but for fallows, hedge-banks, waysides, and such places, where previous or neigh- 

 bouring cultivation has fitted the ground for the reception of seed. Alps and 

 alpine are applied exclusively to the high range extending on the north, of Italy and 

 into Germany, and not figuratively to other bigh mountains ; unless, for want of 

 some other appropriate name, I may in one or two instances have retained Ber- 

 toloni's name of Apuan Alps, for the range of mountains between the valley of 

 the Serchio, and Massa and Carrara. 



De CandoHe made use of a note of admiration to his synonyms, to indicate 

 that he had himself seen the specimen which authorized the name. With 

 me it denotes a remarkable character, not met with in the allied species, or at 

 least to be considered as not existing among them, unless where expressly 

 mentioned. 



The characters of the natural orders are so little definite, that it is almost 

 impossible for the student to determine a plant by them ; and some writers have 

 therefore thought it necessary to give a clavis analytica to assist his researches. 

 I have thought the Linnsean system tbe h&^i- clavis analytica, and on this account 



