al PREFACE. 
general plan adopted in Sir J. D. Hooker’s Handbook, which, as is well 
known, was based upon that recommended many years ago by Sir W. J. 
Hooker for a uniform series of Floras of all the British colonies. With 
the view of keeping the work within the compass of one volume of 
portable size, I was further directed to confine it to the idigenous plants, 
thus departing from the plan followed by Kirk, who included all well- 
established naturalized plants, distinguishing them from the native species 
by a difference in the type. 
The “ Manual of the New Zealand Flora,” which is the title adopted 
for the present work, is intended to comprise within a reasonable compass 
full descriptions of the whole of the indigenous flowering-plants and ferns 
found within the limits of the Colony of New Zealand, including not only 
the two main Islands, but also the outlying groups of the Kermadec 
Islands, the Chatham Islands, the Auckland and Campbell Islands, 
Antipodes Island, &c. I have also included Macquarie Island, for 
although it is politically an appanage of Tasmania, it is more closely 
allied in its flora and fauna to the Auckland and Campbell Islands than 
to any other land. In addition to the descriptions, I have given as fully 
as possible the geographical and altitudinal range of each species within 
the colony ; and, in the case of non-endemic plants, a short statement of 
their range in other countries. I have also inserted, in a concise form, 
such general information, whether economic or scientific, as appeared to 
be of sufficient value. Believing that the main object of a Flora is to 
aftord a ready means of determining the name of any species for the 
purpose of ulterior study, I have endeavoured so to frame the descriptive 
matter as to facilitate the work of identification as much as possible. 
I have therefore prefixed to each order and each genus analytical keys 
in which the salient characters of the genera and species are contrasted. 
With respect to the descriptions themselves, they are in almost all cases 
original, and have been based on the actual examination of living or 
dried specimens, usually both. After their preparation they were com- 
pared with those of my predecessors, and particularly with those of Hooker | 
and Kirk, when any additions or alterations that appeared to be necessary 
were made. With regard to the citation of previous authors, I have as 
a rule considered it unnecessary to do more than quote the publications 
that deal solely or mainly with New Zealand botany, such as Forster’s 
Prodromus, A. Richard’s Flora, Cunningham’s Precursor, Raoul’s Choix, 
and the works of Hooker and Kirk. Had I given references to general 
works on botany or to special monographs the bulk of this work would 
have been greatly increased without sufficient corresponding advantage. 
1 have, however, quoted the publication in which the species under con- 
sideration was first described; and, in the case of those plants which 
extend to Australia or Tasmania, I have usually given a reference to 
Bentham’s “Flora Australiensis’ or Hooker’s “Flora of Tasmania.” 
