2. INTRODUCTION. 



sequent to the publication of Volume I., since many of the new 

 discoveries are dealt with in the addendum to the second 

 volume, and in the second volume of Harvey's "Thesaurus," 

 published in 1863. The publication of these works seems to 

 have stimulated botanical exploration and collecting, for in the 

 preface to Vol. III. of the Flora Capensis (I864 — S) it is stated 

 that large collections continued to be received from Sanderson, 

 Gerrard and McKen, "the last-named gentleman having con- 

 tributed within two years over one thousand species of plants." 

 George Fannin, of the Dargle, also commenced contributing, his 

 collections including the beautiful new Anemone (A. fanninii). 

 T. Cooper also collected largely in Natal in 1861 — 2. 



By this time MacOwan had commenced his botanical teach- 

 ing at the Cape, and through his pupils, as well as by his own 

 direct labours, botany in South Africa was rapidly advanced. 

 Dr. H. Bolus is another to whom South African Botany owes 

 much. 



In 1873 — 5 F. Oates travelled from Maritzburg northwards 

 through Ladysmith, Newcastle, and the Transvaal to Matabele- 

 land. In an appendix to his published journal, the plants col- 

 lected by him were dealt with by R. A. Rolfe. 



In the years 1875 — 7 A. Rehmann made a journey from the 

 Cape via Kimberley, Bloeijifontein, Harrismith and Maritzburg 

 to Durban. He visited Medley Wood at Inanda. His collec- 

 tions were partly worked up by Szyszylowicz. (1887 — 8). 



Before this the Rev. John Buchanan had become an enthusi- 

 astic and extensive collector. He devoted special attention to the 

 ferns. J. Medley Wood had also commenced his botanical 

 career. His name will always be remembered as that of the 

 chief pioneer botanist in Natal. He was born on December 1st, 

 1827, and died at the advanced age of 88 years on August 26, 

 1915. He spent over 60 years in Natal, and he was active up to 

 the end of his long life. For many years he lived at Inanda, 

 and it was there his early botanical collecting was done. He was 

 closely associated at that time with Buchanan. In I882 he suc- 

 ceeded McKen as Curator of the Durban Botanical Gardens and 

 Herbarium, and he remained at his post for 33 years. He pub- 

 lished several successive lists of the flora, and in his "Natal 

 Plants'' 600 species were illustrated. In association with Maurice 

 S. Evans, who also collected widely, or with his assistant, Miss 

 Franks, or independently, Wood described numbers of new 

 species. He forwarded to Kew and other European herbaria 

 large numbers of new species to be worked up by specialists. 

 He built up the excellent Durban Herbarium. He was assisted at 



