The publication of the fragment left by Mr. Kirk made the want of a complete Flora still more apparent, and in April, 1900, the Government was pleased to intrust me with the preparation of such a work. While allowed full freedom of action in all details, I was instructed to follow the 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 indigenous plants, thus departing from the plan followed by Kirk, who included all well-established naturalised 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 afford 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 compared with those of my predecessors, and particularly with those of Hooker and Kirk, when any additions or alterations that appeared
