Page:Flora Hongkongensis.djvu/25

Rh PBEFACE. The genera most numerous in species are Panicum. ""^ ^^^^:^^ n„ ricus. . Aspidium. Fimbristyles C3^perus. Asplenium Polygonum genera 10 14 species. 15 13 13 12 10 9 have 7 species each. 6 Carex. . Eragrostis. Desmodium Phyllanthus Quercus. . Polygonum. genera have 3 species each. 91 „ 2 „ 1  species. 9 8 8 8

"With regard to the Economic Botany of the island, to the uses to which the Chinese apply any of the indigenous vegetable productions, or to the plants which they cultivate, we have no information beyond what is contained in Seemann's 'Introduction to the Hongkong Flora' above quoted, derived chiefly from Dr. Hance's notes, and which it would be needless here to repeat. It is much to be regretted that botanical collectors pay so little attention to the cultivated vegetation of the coun- tries they visit; or if they do gather specimens, they are so frequently worse than useless, not being distinguished from the indigenous ones. Even when marked "cultivated," the specimens are seldom accompanied by memoranda distinguishing those grown by a few individuals in gardens for ornament or shade, from those which may form the standard agricultural crops. And very rarely indeed have we any indication for what special purpose the cultivated species or varieties are grown or the indigenous ones collected. It is to be hoped that naturalists resident for a time in the country will turn their attention to the subject, and remit to us specimens and notes specially directed to the illustration of the Economic Botany of Southern China.

It only remains for me to state that in the form and language adopted in the present work it has been my endeavour to follow out the principles laid down in the Introduction, so as to facilitate as much as possible the finding out the name of any plant gathered in the island by the comparison of specimens with the descriptions here given. For this purpose the Orders of the whole Flora, the genera of each Order, and the species of each genus, are universally preceded by analytical tables in which their more prominent characters are contrasted. In the descriptions them-