INTRODUCTION 
XIII 
the plant is endemic, i. e. confined to the Malay Peninsula. The 
number of these endemics is exceptionally large, being upwards of 
3000 species, or about half the species recorded. But the adjacent 
lands, especially Sumatra, west and south Borneo and the southern 
Siamese regions, have as yet been very scantily explored, and 
further investigations will probably reduce the number of endemics 
considerably. 
Owing to the very extensive clearing of the forests, especially in 
Singapore and Malacca and parts of Selangor and Johor, since the 
evolution of the cultivated rubber industry, a certain number of 
species have been either rendered very rare or probably entirely 
exterminated. Considerable areas which in 1890 were covered with 
a continuous almost impenetrable forest, probably now would not 
be found to bear a single indigenous plant. 
All flowering plants known certainly to occur or to have occurred 
in the peninsula in a wild state are recorded and described, as well 
as all aliens which have established themselves sufficiently to pro¬ 
pagate themselves naturally, but plants only known to occur in 
gardens are excluded, though the more conspicuous and well-known 
garden plants are mentioned where necessary. 
Names of Places .—The names of localities given are in most cases 
readily found on the map of the Malay Peninsula as published by 
the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, but I have failed to 
trace a few given by Kunstler and Scortechini. The latter collector 
seldom gave any specific locality on his collecting tickets, and his 
spelling and script where he did so make it difficult to identify his 
localities, e. g. one locality often given by him is quoted in books as 
Horum; I have reason to believe this means Arang Para near Gunong 
Bubu, in Perak. In a few cases I have given the English name 
instead of the Malay name where it is better known, e. g. Kedah 
Peak for Gunong Jerai, and Mt. Ophir for Gunong Ledang. The 
latter mountain is all through referred to Malacca territory, as it 
always was formerly included in Malacca; politically, however, it is 
now in the State of Johor. 
The following Malay words for localities, etc., are constantly 
used:— 
Tanjong 
Pulau . 
Ginting 
Tasek . 
Teluk . 
Dusun 
Bukit 
Gunong 
Sungei 
Kwala 
Ulu . 
Hill 
Mountain 
River 
Mouth of river 
Source of river 
Cape 
Island 
Pass 
Lake 
Bend in a river 
Orchard 
9 
