PREFACE. 



THE AUTHOR of this little Work has, for a number of years, 

 made the study of the Cryptogamous Plants of America the assiduous 

 object of his leisure hours. He has succeeded in collecting a very 

 considerable number in every division of these interesting, but gene- 

 rally minute plants, almost exclusively from the vicinity of his resi- 

 dence 5 but has not hitherto, with a very few exceptions, been able to 

 elicit from other friends of the science any considerable number of 

 contributions. This is entirely owing, as he feels assured, to the 

 circumstance, that, excepting the late Dr. Muhlenberg, no American 

 Botanist appears to have devoted much of his attention to this branch 

 of the Science : while the want of a Systematic Synopsis of what has 

 hitherto been observed and published, proves a great impediment and 

 discouragement in taking it up, as a variety of expensive works must 

 he procured, in order even to make the attempt. Conceiving it might 

 facilitate the execution of a plan he has for some time entertained, of 

 at length effecting the publication of a systematic arrangement of the 

 Cryptogamous Plants of North- America, in the manner of Pursh's 

 Flora of the Phanerogamous ones, he lias determined to give to the 

 public the present sheet, as a specimen of such a Work ; and has 

 selected the smallest among its divisions for the purpose, in order, at 

 the same time, to render this specimen useful, by its comprising a 

 whole order or class of Cryptogamous Plants. 



His intention chiefly is, thereby to make known his Plan, and to 

 solicit all those who feel an interest in the success thereof, to furnish 

 him with specimens of every kind from their respective vicinities. 

 Such is the number of plants of this description, which he has indivi- 

 dually met with, in his confined situation, that there can be no doubt 

 of a much greater number still unobserved, in the immense extent of 

 our country, and its variety of climates. Although true of every 

 class of Cryptogamous vegetation, this is peculiarly the case with 

 respect to the Fungi, which have been a particular object of the Au- 

 thor's attention. The number of these, already observed by him, in 

 the western part of North-Carolina, approaches very near 1600 spe- 

 cies, comprising more than 400 species not before known. Next 

 to the Fungi, the Lichens appear numerous, and least known ; as he 

 has determined a good number not heretofore described at all, and a 

 very considerable number not before observed in America. The 

 Mosses, both frondose and hepatic, seem to have been a little more 

 attended to ; but, notwithstanding, there is every reason to believe, 

 that our northern and southern mountains, and probably our southern 

 swamps, still contain a great number of non-descripts. Before even 



