INTRODUCTION. 



XI 



Linnaeus took nearly all his specific characters from 

 conspicuous parts, especially from the stem and foliage, 

 and they were therefore natural ; but at the present day 

 we are prone to select minute ones : of these some are of 

 trifling value, while others, sufficient to constitute sub- 

 genera, are connected with the habit of the plant, and 

 should therefore not be neglected. Indeed the time may 

 ere long arrive, when what are now called genera or sub- 

 genera will alone be considered species, and another Lin- 

 nseus be requisite to reduce the chaos into order. In 

 the meanwhile, we have endeavoured to steer a middle 

 course : the species admitted in former editions are seldom 

 reduced, unless where it was found that the characters 

 were insufficient or variable ; and as rarely has sanction 

 been given to those which have been split off from other 

 species, by the too-refined ingenuity of the German/Swiss, 

 and modern Swedish botanists. If in some cases, parti- 

 cularly in the genus Hieracium^ this neomania has been 

 yielded to, it has been partly on account of the remon- 

 strances of the Authors' friends who had opportunities of 

 examining the living plants and partly from the difficulty 

 in ascertaining to which original species these aberrant 

 forms ought to be referred. 



The design of this work would not allow of so many 

 stations being given for the rarer plants as could have 

 been wished ; and, indeed, the Authors have been rather 

 anxious to indicate the range of the species, than the 

 precise spot where any particular one is found. The 

 admirable Botanists Guide of 



Messrs 



n 



trihution of B 



Britannica 



T Botanists Guide 

 Watson, Esq., Dr. 



Mackay's valuable Flora Hi 



local Floras which are now happily become exceedingly 

 numerous, as well as the Phytologist^ may, for informa- 

 tion on this head, be consulted with great advantage. 



a6 



