PREFACE. 



During the spring of the year 1825, 

 after the dissolution of the late Washington 

 Botanical Society", a few gentlemen of 

 this city, devoted to the science of Botany, 

 formed an association, with an earnest 

 determination to explore and to investi- 

 gate, de novo, the indigenous plants grow- 

 ing in the District of Columbia. The 

 association, under the name of " The 

 Botanic club," consisted of Wm. Mechlin, 

 Wm. Rich, Alex'r McWilliams, M. D., 

 the compiler, and during the following 

 year, of James W. Bobbins, M. D., but 

 who, afterwards, in the succeeding one, 

 rembved from the District. The Prodro- 

 mus, herewith submitted to tb^ public, is, 

 so far, the result of their investigations to 

 the present time; and, there is no doubt, 

 that, their contemplated Flora, will con- 

 tain a much more augmented catalogue, 

 more particularly, among the species, than 

 is now presented. 



The erudite Fotanist will be astonished 

 to perceive the names of several plants, 

 in this Prodromus, which, he is well aware 

 belong to other localities; but when he 

 considers the various and alpine sources 



