66 FLORA INDIC'A. 



was occupied on the task about two years, during which time, 

 in addition to the important investigations in physical science 

 which occupied his attention, he thoroughly explored the flora 

 of the province, carefully noting the range of each species. 

 He was joined by Mr. Winterbottom in 1848, and they tra- 

 velled together in Tibet. Their joint collections, amounting 

 to 2000 species, were distribiited, in 1852-3, to the Hookerian 

 Herbarium, the British Museum, the Linnean Society, and 

 some foreign museums ; and the scientific results are now in 

 course of publication. The beautiful preservation of the spe- 

 cimens, and the follness and accuracy with which they are 

 ticketed, render this herbarium the most valuable for its size 

 that has ever been distributed from India ; and we beg here 

 to record our sense of the great benefit that has been rendered 

 to botanical science by the disinterested labours of these in- 

 defatigable and accomplished collectors. 



9. The herbarium of Dr. Arnott at Glasgow is particularly 

 rich in Indian plants, and especially valuable as containing the 

 materials from which the ' Prodromus Elorse Peninsulse' was 

 elaborated. Its distance has prevented our having it in our 

 power to consult it regularly, but Dr. Arnott has been good 

 enough to afford us his assistance in making comparisons in 

 every case of difficulty. This has been to us a most mate- 

 rial benefit, as we have not hesitated to apply to him in all 

 doubtful points. 



10. The extensive herbarium of Mr. Bentham, our greatest 

 descriptive botanist, has in like manner been readily accessible 

 to us by the kindness of its owner*. In addition to its value 

 as an authentically-named collection, — in which respect it is, 

 we believe, in proportion to its size, quite unrivalled, — this 

 herbarium contains a number of important contribations from 

 Indian botanists. We have consulted it for the orders in- 

 cluded in the present part, and hope to continue to do so in 



* Whilst these pages have been passing through the press, Mr. Bentham's 

 Herbarium has become the property of the Royal Gardens at Kew, through the 

 disinterested hberahty of its owner. 



