The frequent arrival of seeds from this Colony, the excellent state in which they are received, and the facility with which further supplies can be procured, appear to render some Botanical account of this remarkable country a desirable appendage to a work which, like the Botanical Register, forms an original record of new plants introduced, or worthy of introduction, to our Gardens. A publication of the more remarkable or beautiful species will tend to prevent double names, which would otherwise be likely to find their way into collections, in consequent of species being named by difference Botanists independently of each other; and this is in itself an object, the attainment of which is of considerable importance. Moreover the purchasers of plants will often be able, by a reference to this sketch, to ascertain, by the names under which Swan River plants are offered for sale, whether particular species are worth possession, either for the sake of their beauty or singularity.
The only systematical account of the Swan River Flora which has yet appeared is Baron Hugel's Enumeration,* but as nothing has been printed of that valuable work, beyond a single number, published in 1837, it is to be feared that we are not likely to see a continuation of it. There are however several scattered notices of Swan River plants by Dr. Endlicher,† one of the principal contributors to the Enumeration, and occasional descriptions have appeared in the
* Enumeratio plantarum quas in N. Hollandiæ ora austro-occidentali ad fluvium Cygnorum et in sinu Regis Georgii collegit Carolus Liber Baro de Hügel. Vindob. 1837. 8vo. pp. 83.
† Novarum Stirpium Decades, editæ a Museo Cæsarea Palatino Vindobonensi. Ni. 1–4. Maii, 1839. 8vo.
Stirpium Australasicarum herbarii Hügeliani Decades tres. Vindob. Dec. 1838, 4to.
