To His Ecfdleiwy, Jonatuak Woktii, 



Governw of North Varol'ma : 



Sib: — The following Catalogiie of the PlaiitB of Xortli Carolina 

 is alluded to in the letter of Prof. Emmons to Gov. Ellis, printed 

 iu the introductory portion of my Eeport on the Woody Plants of 

 the State, which this was intended to accompany. The printing of 

 it at that time was, however, prevented by more important, matters 

 of national interest that were then occupying the public mind. It 

 gives me ple^ure now to submit the Report to your consideration, 

 not only because I desire to secure a pei-manent record of ob8ei"\'a- 

 tions and discoveries made through a period of about twenty -five 

 years, but on account of the interest it should have among Scien- 

 tists as determining the localities and range of our vegetation, and 

 a^ being much the most extensive local list of Plants e\ er published 

 in North Amei-ica. 



The extent of this list is not due to the greater amount of our 

 vegetation, though there are very few States that contain a greater 

 number or richer variety of species, but to the fact that more atten- 

 tion has been gi^•cn in this L-tate than elsewhere to the investigation 

 of the lov.er Chdei-s, or Plowerless Plants, and especially of the 

 Fungi. The accomplished Dr. Schweinitz, while a resident at 

 Salem, paid gi-eat attention to these obscure forms, and was the 

 pioneer of Cryptogamic Botany in America. It will be seen, in 

 the frequent reference to his name in my list of these Plants, how 

 much we are indebted to him for a knowledge of these species, 

 many of which have not been detected by other's. 



But large as is the folio w^ing list, comprising over forty -eight hun- 

 dred species, it is not offered as a complete enumeration of all the 

 plants growing in the State. It i^ only a record of \\-hat have been 

 thus far discovered. Of our Plowering Plants probably very few 

 have escaped notice ; but of the Flowerless kinds doubtless many 

 more remain to reward the researclies of future observers. We may 

 confidently assume that the actual number of Plants indigenous to 

 North Carolina exceeds five thousand species. 



Hoping this contribution to a knowledge of the Natm-al History 

 of our State will prove acceptable to yourself and the public 

 generally, I remain 



Yours, verv respect fidlv, 



M. A. CmTTS. 



