mh 
viii PREFACKH. 
part of the Handbook had not been revised by Mr. Bentham 
since the publication of the first edition, and that the later 
works of Watson, Nyman, &c., and many local Floras of the 
north temperate regions, had not been consulted. 
J. D. HOOKER. 
June 30, 1886. 
NOTE TO EDITION VI. 
In revising Bentham’s work for a sixth edition I have en- 
—deavoured to follow the course pursued in regard to its pre- 
decessor, and which is explained at p. vii. of the Preface. 
The only material modification which I have introduced has 
been the omitting many of the duplicate English names of 
the species, especially those that are mere translations of the 
Latin names. The greater number of them was invented or 
adopted by the late Professor Hensow, and generally settled 
in consultation with Mr. Bentham and myself (see Preface, 
edition 1, p. xiv.), for the use of village school-children, who 
were not as a rule supposed to recognise the Latin names. 
The space thus obtained has enabled me in many cases to 
introduce the characters of more of these well-marked forms 
of variable species that were not differentiated in earlier 
editions, and which forms, if not specially alluded to, mislead 
beginners; as also briefly to introduce the few species new to 
the British Isles that have been discovered since the appear- 
ance of the last edition (1886). It further enables me to bring 
the work more into harmony with the “ London Catalogue of 
British Plants,” edition 8, a most reliable index to all known 
species and varieties of the flowering plants and ferns of our 
islands, and in accordance with which most British botanists 
arrange their herbaria. 
J. D. HOOKER. 
Jume 6, 1892. 
