PREFACE.*) 
The present work is intended, in the first place, for 
the use of those who are commencing the study of botany, 
and aims at assisting them in the determination of plants 
which are new to them. This object can only be attained 
by using the, so called, analytical method which has ac¬ 
cordingly been adopted. 
Hoping, at the same time, to be of service to more 
advanced botanists, I have enumerated the most important 
new species as well as the critical forms; endeavouring 
to select from the voluminous materials whatever is best 
authenticated and most constant, omitting, as far as possible, 
all doubtful forms. 
For special studies I would recommend to the notice 
of the student: Bernoulli, Gefasscryptogamen der Schweiz 
(1857); Christ, Rosen der Schweiz (1878); Christener , 
Hieracien der Schweiz (1863); Fischer, Flora von Bern 
(1878, 4th ed.); Ganelin, Flora helvetica (1828—33), 
the principal work on the Swiss flora; of this there is a 
summary: Synopsis florae helveticee, ed. Monnard (1836); 
Godet, Flore du Jura (1853, with supplement 1869); 
Bapin, Guide du botaniste (2 nd ed. 1862); Reuter, Cata¬ 
logue des pi. vase, de Geneve (2 nd ed. 1861). In Gremli, 
Beitrage zur Flora der Schweiz (1870) directions are 
found for the study of the genus Rubus, as also numerous 
localities for the rare species. Of works dealing with ad¬ 
jacent countries I may mention before all, Koch's Syn¬ 
opsis, an unparallelled work on the German and Swiss 
floras; also Ascherson , Flora der Provinz Brandenburg 
*) Author’s preface to the fifth German edition. 
