T no largest purpose at tne present tine of Systematic 
Botany is the creation of a common language wncrcby one 
*■ i 
man ray communicate with ancPtncr upon tno subject of 
plants: and for this reason Systematic Botany demands 
attention before any other bran on of the Science, and will 
bo spoken of in. this note first. 
In course of publication by the Governments of the 
Straits Sottla&enfrs and tno * ederated Malay States j intjy 
Ml* 
zsttsl is a Fnanoroge/nic Flora of the a lay oninsula from 
the 7th degree nortn southwards to Singapore. It is being 
prepared by Mr Ridley in tendon and an . u Is no—1 r ygo pur p * ao 
■fol 
put 
the knowledge tnat TUuropo nes accumulated Into 
the hands of the botanist in tne ^oninsula. It in in fact 
out of ■ tne&r ml scientific position^ 7 . 
Vi 
a devolutionary movement, a part of Mr -tfCRES-- of action by 
wnicn the two Governments named are taking over tne working 
in this Flora Mr. Ridley is expected to describe 9000 
Phanerogams., Recent exploration suggests tnat tne *cninsula 
nolds lb-20 per cent more wnicn nave not yet boon described, 
and therefore in its area of about 52000 sqjShre miles, Lucre 
arc found 10250 to 10300 species. For a moment a few 
comparisons may be instituted. 
I!; appears tnat 9000 in approximately tne number , wnicii^ 
CU a- £*SxrtZ)juQs UJTUJ a^*a^*~**j 
ill be enumerated^ Ifc Mr. R.B.MorrilVwM^/ known from Mine 
Philip. Ino islands, the area Of which is twice tnat of tno 
% /r 6**J*>*'/™ ' - 
Peninsula. 25 tne iensity of species in tno two jgf similar^ ( 
tne Peninsula appears by muen tno better worked. But Java, 
with an area very nearly equal to that of tne ^oninsula, 
ancl certainly better worked ^ carries only 5000 Pn&nerogoms : 
but .then tne vegetation of the .low country of Java noo 
oaffared suen enormous interference from man. Borneo with 
an area of 
50,000 
square 
miles 
is known 
to carry 5e>P0 
10 ac* nor ogam s ; 
but 
it is 
2 ortain 
lv not more 
w 
tnan 
•10 per co]it 
work ode Tne 
: i p •*< •’ 
J. '.* ■ 1 v 
of M :?lf 
j.ysia 
is less, one 
may m 
;y little, 
worked 
