12 * 
up with special though not exclusive reference to their Mauritian 
representatives. It is only the indigenous orders, genera, and species 
that are numbered, the names of the indigenous species being printed 
in thick roman type, and those of the introduced species in italics, 
with the descriptions drawn up in a different form, so as to show at a 
glance to what class of citizenship any given plant belongs. It is 
only the introduced species that may fairly claim to be regarded as 
naturalised, that are described, the mere casuals being simply mentioned 
by name. Under every indigenous species known to occur in the 
island or group the words “ Mauritius,” “ Rodriguez,” and “ Seychelles ” 
are repeated in capital letters in the paragraph that follows the descrip- 
tion. A note of admiration after the name of a collector means that 
I have seen one of the specimens which he gathered ; and where the 
name of a collector is given, and there is no note of admiration, a 
confirmation of the record is desirable, and we shall be glad to have 
specimens forwarded. It is also most desirable that the attention of 
future visitors to Rodriguez and the Seychelles should be specially 
directed to the numerous plants from those islands mentioned in this 
flora which cannot be fully determined without further material than has 
been yet procured. In the botanical exploration of the smaller 
dependencies of Mauritius there is still a wide field for investigation, 
as we know nothing or next to nothing of the botany of the St. 
Brandon Isles, Galega, Diego Garcia, Cortivy, Providence, and St. 
Pierre Islands, and the Amiraute and Cosmoledo groups. 
My best thanks are due to my colleague, Mr. Spencer Le Marchant 
Moore, F.L.S., for his Synopsis of the Orchids, to Dr. I. B. Balfour 
for having undertaken to describe the Palms and Pandani, and to Mr. 
Horne for the help he has given in hunting out information about 
many of Bojer’s doubtful species, and to Dr. Hooker for the trouble he 
has taken in revising the proof-sheets, which has been the means of 
correcting many imperfections that would otherwise have escaped 
attention. 
Kew Herbarium , April , 1877. 
