PREFACE 



There are definitely known from the Philippines at the present time 

 about 6,500 species of flowering plants and vascular cryptogams, distributed 

 into about 1,450 genera, in 200 families. Many of the species are of very 

 local occurrence, while others are confined to medium and higher altitudes 

 in the mountains, and are hence never seen by the average resident of the 

 Archipelago. The flora of the coastal region, especially of the populated 

 areas, is remarkably uniform, practically the same forms being found in 

 and about such towns as Zamboanga, Cebu, Iloilo, Aparri, etc., as are 

 found about Manila, so that for all practical purposes a flora of the 

 vicinity of Manila is also a nearly complete flora for most inhabited regions 

 at low altitudes in all parts of the Archipelago. Accordingly while most of 

 the plants encountered in the settled areas at low altitudes will be found 

 to be described in the present work, it will be found to be of little value for 

 the determination of specimens collected in the forests and on the mountains. 



In compiling this work an attempt has been made to include all the 

 specie^ of vascular cryptogams and flowering plants growing naturally 

 within the area selected, as well as most of the cultivated forms, both of 

 Philippine and of foreign origin. The area covered extends from a point 

 north of Manila^ on the bay shore at Malabon, inland through Balintuac, 

 San Francisco del Monte etc., to Pasig,. thence to the town of Paranaque 

 on the bay shore south of Manila, covering applroximately 100 square 

 kilometers (about 40 square miles). No part of the area exceeds an 

 altitude of 50 meters, and no part of it aifproaches primeval conditions, 

 the vegetation of the entire region having been profoundly altered by the 

 presence of man. 



This "Flora" is based on botanical material preserved in the herbarium 

 of the Bureau of Science, supplemented by an extensive series of notes 

 covering a period of exploration of the area extending over eighteen months. 

 Undoubtedly future intensive exploration will add a considerable number 

 of species to the list of indigenous ones, while the list of introduced and 

 cultivated species is being very rapidly increased. Scattered individuals 

 of any species found in neighboring provinces at low altitudes are to be 

 expected within our area, and as a matter of fact a considerable number 

 of species are included in the present work on the basis of single plants 

 observed within the region covered by it. In early botanical works, various 

 monographs etc., many Philippine species are credited to the Archipelago 

 as having been collected in Manila; very many of theae references are 

 erroneous, the term Manila having been used more or less synonymously 

 with the Philippines. Most of the species so referred to were collected in 

 regions remote from the city, and very many of them on other islands 

 than Luzon. No species has been included unless specimens have been seen 

 from the area selected. 



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