13* PEEFACE. 



rived any systematic modifications which may be considered as improve- 

 ments, I alone am responsible for any errors they may contain. 



It is hoped, indeed, that these generic characters wiU in no instance 

 be found to have been copied from other works without collating them 

 in the case of each Hongkong species, as far as our specimens would 

 admit, and modifying them or indicating exceptional points where neces- 

 sary. In a few instances it will be seen that I have proposed consider- 

 able innovations, chiefly in the way of consolidating small genera which 

 appeared to have been established on insufficient grounds. 1 have been 

 obliged, however, to leave others still in a veiy unsatisfactory state, 

 where the fixing their limits an^ characters would have required a 

 general revision of whole Orders, which we can only hope to accomplish 

 for the ' Genera Plantarum ' I am preparing in conjunction with Dr. 

 Hooker. 



In many instances also our specimens are as yet very imperfect, and 

 much remains to be done before the Flora of this dimiuutive island can 

 be said to be well known. And this deficiency is not to be ascribed to 

 any want of zeal on the part of the collectors. When we read upon 

 their labels, accompanying specimens of some of the most striking 

 plants, such memoranda as " Only three trees known in the island," 

 " Once seen in a ravine near the top of Mount Victoria," " Picked out 

 of a faggot which a Chinaman was carrying home,"- etc., we can scarcely 

 hope that the history of such species as are yet only known in the state 

 of bud, or in that of fruit, or in one sex, etc., will be very soon com- 

 pleted from specimens gathered in the island itself. But most probably 

 they may all be found in greater abundance and perfection in the hilly 

 ranges bordering the opposite mainland, a portion of which has now 

 been added to our territory. To these hills, therefore, we would espe- 

 cially call the attention of botanical explorers, to procure materials for 

 the further illustration of the Hongkong Flora. 



The specific descriptions, like the generic characters, have been always 

 drawn up from the actual examination of specimens gathered in the 

 island, where they were sufficient for the purpose ; or, where these were 

 imperfect, specimens from the nearest station from whence we have 

 the same species, wtfether continental China, the Philippine Islands, or 

 laatem India, have been made use of to complete the character. In 

 6ach such case the origin of the specimens described has been stated; 

 and on aU occasions where the limits of the species are known to extend 

 beyond the island, the Hongkong specimens have been compared with 

 others taken from different parts of its geographical range. This has 



