DR. H. 0. FORBES’S NEW GUINEA PLANTS. 
INTRODUCTORY NOTE. 
By A. B. Rendle, D.Sc., F.R.S. 
I)r. Forbes’s collection was made in 1885-1880, and in the 
latter year Mr. It id ley in this Journal (xxiv. 321; LSS6) gave an 
account of the Monocotyledons. In the same volume (p. 289) 
Baron F. von Mueller described some new Vacciniacece from the 
collection, and Mr. Ridley stated in the introduction to his paper 
that “ the greater portion of the flowering plants are being described 
by Baron von Mueller.” This, however, was not done ; and, though 
new species have been described from Dr. Forbes’s plants from time 
to time in papers dealing with the Flora of New Gfuinea, the bulk of 
the collection has not been worked out. 
In cases where new species have been previously described from 
Dr. Forbes’s specimens, reference is made to the place of publication, 
and a bibliography will be given at the end of this communication. 
Dr. Forbes also made (1878-83) extensive collections in the 
Malayan Islands, the first set of which was acquired by the British 
Museum. It is much to be regretted that the collections could not 
be worked out at the time, and that Dr. Forbes should not have 
received earlier the credit due for his pioneer work of botanical 
exploration in the Malayan Archipelago. 
During the past few years the staff of the Department of Botany 
has devoted considerable time to the determination of the various 
collections ; the present account of the New Guinea plants will be 
followed by one dealing with those from the Malayan Islands. 
The information as to habit, colour of flowers, &c. is taken from 
the collector’s notes. 
Journal of Botany, June, 1923. [Supplement.] b 
