iv 
The Monocotyledonce are divided into series or groups of families, and 
commence with the lowest following plants, the Typhacex, Pandanacee, 
Sparganiacese, Potamogetonaccee, Najadacci, &c., mostly water and swamp 
plants fertilised by wind or water, and end with the most highly and developed 
Orchidacem. The Dicotyledonez are first divided into two sub-classes, the 
Archichlamydex (Choripetaleee and Apetalew) and the Metachlamyde 
Synpetale(Monopetalez); the Archichlamydcx commence again with the 
lowest families, the wind-fertilised Casuarines, Piperacese, Salicaces, &c., 
and end with the Umbellifere; the Metachlamydex commence with Pirolacce, 
Ericacezx, &¢., and end with the highest family of plants, the Composite. 
In our Census the arrangement followed, as far as these plants are con- 
cerned, is based upon Engler’s classification, and is the first Australian Census 
following this order. 
The Pflanzenfamilien has not been slavishly followed, but we feel that it 
is more scientific to begin with plants of lower development and proceed +o 
the higher, and, having decided on that, it is well to accustom oneself to the 
scheme. The same arrangement is being followed in the N ational Herbarium, 
but it would have been futile to do so before the issue of a revised Census. 
The alteration of the herbarium is a very serious business. 
The Census contains references to the changes proposed by modern mono- 
graphers, references to good pictorial illustrations, to useful botanical descrip- 
tions and notes, and especially to information bearing on the inclusion of 
Species in the New South Wales flora. 
This little work is not only a list of native plants ascertained to occur in 
New South Wales, but a Catalogue raisonné also. The date and name of 
publication of each genus and species is given, and references are always given 
to Bentham’s Flora Australiensis, which still is, and will long remain, the 
standard work on our flora. The greater one’s experience with it, the more 
sincere is one’s admiration of it. 
As to varieties, it will be noticed that they have been carefully recorded, 
The variety of to-day may be the species of to-morrow, and vice versd, since 
° 
the rankis usually a matter of individual judgment, and that may vary. 
The first part of the compilation, on Vascular Cryptogams and Phanerogams, 
is the work of the late Mr. Betche and myself. It has been in hand for a 
number of years and for some time I relieved Mr, Betche of other duties 
in order that he might give as much time to this compilation as possible, 
“lo my great regret, Mr. Betche died on the 28th June, 1913, and he saw 
‘but few of the pages in type. The delay has been partly caused by the 
exigencies of the Government Printing Office, and partly because the sur- 
viving ecmpiler had to deal with the unfinished work, 
e 
