PREFACE. 



During the last few years a growing interest has been taken in that large 

 area, the Northern Territory of Australia ; and questions are continually being 

 raised as to its value for agricultural and pastoral purposes. Some interest 

 may be felt then in the study of the flora of this land, not only as increasing in 

 some degree the study of Systematic Botany, but also as giving some indica- 

 tions as to the fertility of the soil, the moisture conditions, and the fodder or 

 other values of the natural vegetation. 



The Commonwealth Government, since taking over the Northern Territory, 

 have carried out a policy of energetically investigating the natural resources of 

 this tract of country. 



In addition to the Expedition by GUruth and Spencer, the Barclay Ex- 

 pedition traversed a large part of the Territory, and Mr. HiU, the collector 

 attached to the party, made large collections of plants. 



Dr. A. Morrison was appointed to assist in the work of investigating these 

 collections, and the flora of the Territory generally, and in September, 1913, 

 with Professor Ewart, he published a paper : — " Contributions to the Flora of 

 AustraUa, No. 21. The Flora of the Northern Territory (Leguminosse)." 

 Unfortunately he subsequently became seriously HI, and died towards the end 

 of 1913. 



Miss Davies was appointed successor to Dr. Morrison, and began work in 

 February, 1914, continuing to the end of 1916. 



Mr. Maiden undertook the investigation of the Eucalypts and Acacias 

 collected by the Barclay Expedition, and has made a general examination of 

 these genera as represented in the Northern Territory. Mr. Cheel has con- 

 tributed an account of the MjTtacese, exclusive of Eucalyptus, and Mr. Hamilton 

 one of the Cyperacese. For the sake of uniformity, a general account of these 

 groups is given in the text, and the special accounts by the authors in question 

 are given as appendixes at the end of the work. The manuscripts of the 

 Acacias and Eucalyptus, owing to Mr. Maiden's illness, were received too late 

 for the insertion of the additional species in the Keys, and some records of 



