th e s e th e m o s t im p o r ta n t are B r ow n ’s ‘ P r o d r o n iu s / o f w h ich th e o n ly p u b lish ed v o lum e ap p ea red in
1 8 1 0 ; th e ‘ P la n t® P r c is s ia n ® / e d it e d b y P ro fe s so r L ehm a n n , a n d c o n ta in in g d e sc r ip tio n s, b y v a r io
u s a u th o r s, o f a b o u t 3 2 5 0 sp e c ie s (in c lu d in g Cryp to g am !®) o f Sw a n R iv e r p la n t s ; D r . M u e lle r ’s
va r iou s R ep o r ts o n th e F lo r a o f V ic to r ia , an d b is n um e r o u s p ap er s o n th e v e g e ta b le p r o d u c tio n s o f
th a t c o lo n y ; a n d L in d le y ’s A p p e n d ic e s to M it c h e ll’s T ra v e ls.
T h e u n p u b lish ed m a te r ia ls ch ie fly c o n s is t o f th e v a s t c o lle c tio n s o f A u s t r a lia n p la n ts m ad e
d u r in g th e la s t h a lf-c en tu r y , an d th e s e h a r in g b e en o b ta in ed fr om a ll p a r ts o f th e c o n tin e n t, an d ca r e fu
lly t ic k e t e d a s t o lo c a lity , e t c ., su p p ly a b u n d a n t m a t e r ia ls fo r th e in v e s tig a t io n o f th e m a in fea tu r e s
o f th e A u s tr a lia n F lo r a . I n a n o th e r p art o f th is E s s a y I p rop o se to g iv e a sh o r t sum m a r y o f th e
la b o u r s o f t h e in d iv id u a ls b y w h om th e s e an d o th e r A u s t r a lia n c o lle c t io n s h a v e b e e n p r in c ip a lly o b ta
in e d , a n d o f th e r o u te s fo llow e d b y th e e x p e d itio n s w h ic h th e y a c com p a n ied .
T h e m a jo r ity o f th e c o lle c t io n s w e r e , e ith e r w h o lly o r in pai-t, tr a n sm it te d to S ir W m ia in
H o o k e r , fo rm in g th e la r g e s t A u s tr a lia n h e rb a r ium in e x is te n c e , a n d o f w h ic h th e p u b lish ed p o r tio n
is in v a lu e g r e a t ly e x c e ed ed b y th e u n p u b lis h e d ; fo r a lth o u g h a b o u t tw o -th ir d s o f th e p la n ts h a v e
b e e n d e sc r ib ed , o n ly a b o u t h a lf o f t h e s e h a v e b e e n b r o u g h t to g e th e r in a s y s t em a t ic f o rm ; n o r , sin c e
th e p u b lic a tio n o f B r ow n ’s A p p e n d ix to F lin d e r s ’ V o y a g e , b a s th e F lo r a o f th e w h o le c o n t in e n t b e en
c o n s id e r ed fr om a g en e r a l p o in t o f v iew . A n d , b e fo r e e n t e r in g o n th e fie ld o f in q u ir y so su c c e s s fu lly
e x p lo r ed b y B r ow n b a lf a c e n tu r y a g o , I m u s t p a y m y tr ib u te t o th e s a g a c ity a n d r e sea r ch e x h ib ited
in th e e s sa y t o w h ic h I h a v e a llu d ed . A t th e t im e o f it s p u b lic a tio n , n o t h a lf th e p la n t s n ow d e s
c r ib ed wer e d isco v e r ed , v a s t ar eas w e r e y e t u n e x p lo r ed , a n d far to o li t t l e w as k n ow n o f t h e v e g e ta tio n
o f th e n e ig h b o u r in g is la n d s t o a dm it o f th e A u s tr a lia n F lo r a b e in g s tu d ie d in i t s r e la t io n t o th a t o f
o th e r c o u n tr ie s . N e v e r th e le s s w e a r e in d e b t e d to B r ow n ’s p ow e r s o f g en e r a liz a tio n for a p la n o f th e
en t ir e F lo r a , c o n s tr u c t e d o u t o f f r a gm en ta r y c o lle c tio n s fr om i t s d iffe r en t d is tr ic ts , w h ic h r eq u ir e s b u t
l it t le co r r e c tio n from ou r in c r e a s ed k n ow led g e , th o u g h n e c e s sa r ily v e r y c o n sid e ra b le am p lifica tion .
A lth o u g h h e c o u ld n o t sh ow th e e x t e n t a n d e x a c t n a tu r e o f it s a ffin ities, h e c o u ld p r ed ic t m a n y o f
th em , a n d b y b is d e te c tio n o f th e r ep r e sen ta tiv e s o f p la n ts o f o th e r c o im tr ie s u n d e r th e m a sk s o f
s tru c tu r a l p e cu lia r ity w h ich d isg u is e th em in A u s tr a lia , h e lo n g a g o g a v e u s th e k e y t o th e so lu tio n
o f s om e o f th o s e g r e a t p ro b lem s o f d is tr ib u t io n an d v a r ia tio n , w h ic h w e r e th e n h a rd ly prop ou n d ed ,
b u t w h ic h ar e n ow p r om in en t b r a n ch e s o f in q u ir y w ith ev e ry p h ilo so p h ic a l n a tu r a list.
I n th e In t r o d u c to r y E s s a y to th e N e w Z ea la n d F lo r a , I ad v an c ed c e r ta in g e n e r a l p rop o sition s
a s to th e o r ig in o f sp e c ie s, w h ic h I re fra in ed fr om en d o r s in g a s a r tic le s o f m y ow n c r e ed t am o n g st
o th e r s w a s th e s t ill p r e v a len t d o c tr in e th a t th e s e are, in th e ord in a ry a c c ep ta tio n o f th e te rm , c r ea ted
a s s u ch , an d are im m u ta b le . I n th e p r e s e n t E s s a y I sh a ll ad v an c e th e op p o site h y p o th e s is , th a t sp e c
ie s are d e r iv a tiv e an d m u ta b le ; a n d th is ch ie fly b e c a u se , w h a te v e r o p in io n s a n a tu r a lis t m a y h a v e
ad op ted w ith r e g a rd to th e o r ig in an d v a r ia tio n o f sp e c ie s, e v e r y ca n d id m in d m u s t a dm it th a t th e
fa c ts an d a rg um en ts u p o n w h ic h h e h a s g r o u n d ed h is c o n v ic tio n s req u ir e r e v is io n s in c e th e r e c en t
p u b lic a tio n b y th e L in n e a n S o c ie ty o f th e in g e n io u s a n d o r ig in a l r ea so n in g s a n d th e o r ie s o f M r , D a r w
in a n d M r . WaU a ee .
F u r th e r , th e r e m u s t h e m a n y w h o , l ik e m y s e lf, h a v in g h ith e r to r e fra in ed fr om ex p r e ssin g an y
p o s itiv e o p in io n , n ow , a fte r a c a r e fu l co n s id e r a tio n o f th e s e n a tu r a lists’ th e o r ie s , fin d th e a sp e c t o f th e
q u e stio n m a te r ia lly ch a n g ed , an d th em s e lv e s fre e r t o a d o p t su ch a th e o r y a s m a y b e s t h a rm o n iz e
w ith th e fa c ts ad d u c ed b y th e ir ow n exp e r ien c e .
T h e N a tu r a l H is to r y o f A u s tr a lia s e em ed t o m e to b e e sp e c ia lly su ite d to t e s t su c h a th eo ry ,
o n a c c o u n t o f th e com p a r a tiv e u n ifo rm ity o f its p h y s ic a l fea tu r e s b e in g a c com p a n ied w ith a g r ea t
v a r ie ty in i t s F lo r a ; o f th e diffe r en c e s in th e v e g e ta tio n o f it s sev e ra l p a r t s ; an d o f th e p e cu lia r ity
b o th o f it s F a u n a a n d F lo r a , a s com p a r ed w ith th o s e o f o th e r c o u n tr ie s . I a c c o rd in g ly pr epar ed a
c la ssified ca ta lo g u e o f a ll th e A u s tr a lia n sp e c ie s in th e H e rb a r ium , w ith th e ir r a n g e s in lo n g itu d e ,
la t itu d e , a n d e le v a tio n , a s far a s I c o u ld a sc e r ta in th em , a n d ad d ed w h a t fu r th e r in fo rm a tio n I
cou ld o b ta in from b o o k s. A t th e sam e t im e I m a d e a c a r e fu l s tu d y o f th e a ffin itie s a n d d is tr ib
u tio n o f a ll th e T a sm a n ia n sp e c ie s, and o f a ll th o s e A u s tr a lia n o n e s w h ic h I bcMeved t o b e fo u n d
in o th e r c o u n tr ie s . I a lso d e te rm in ed a s a c cu r a te ly a s I c o u ld th e g en e r a o f th e r em a in d e r , an d
e sp e c ia lly o f th o s e b e lo n g in g t o g en e r a w h ich are fo u n d in o th e r c o u n tr ie s , a n d I d is tin g u ish ed
th e sp e c ie s from o n e a n o th e r in th o s e g en e r a w h ic h h a d n o t b e e n p r e v io u sly ar ran g ed . I n th is
m a n n e r I h a v e b r o u g h t to g e th e r e v id en c e o f n e a r ly 8 0 0 0 flow e r in g p la n ts h a v in g b e e n c o lle c ted
or o b se rv ed in A u s tr a lia , o f w h ic h I h a v e s e en an d c a ta lo g u ed u pw a rd s o f 7 0 0 0 . A b o u t tw o -
th ir d s o f th e s e ar e a sc e r ta in ed spec ificaUy w ith to le r a b le a c cu ra cy , an d th e r em a in d e r are d is tin g
u ish e d fr om o n e a n o th e r , a n d referred t o g en e r a w ith l e s s c e r ta in ty , b e in g e ith e r u n d e sc r ib ed ,
o r d e sc r ib ed u n d e r sev e ra l n am e s , w h ils t som e a r e m em b e r s o f su c h v a r ia b le g ro u p s th a t I w a s
le ft in d o u b t h ow t o d isp o se o f th em .
T o m a n y w h o o c cu p y th em s e lv e s w ith sm a lle r a n d b e t te r w o rk ed b o ta n ic a l d is tr ic ts , su ch r e su lts
as m a y b e d ed u c ed fr om th e sk e le to n F lo r a I h a v e com p iled for A u s tr a lia m a y se em to o c ru d e an d
im p e r fe c t t o fo rm d a ta from w h ich t o d e te rm in e it s r e la tio n s . B u t i t i s n o t fr om a co n sid e r a tio n
o f sp e c ific d e ta ils th a t su c h p r o b lem s as th o s e o f th e r e la t io n s o f F lo r a s an d th e o r ig in a n d d istr ib u t
io n o f o r g a n ic fo rm s w ill e v e r b e so lv ed , th o u g h w e m u s t e v e n tu a lly lo o k t o th e s e d e ta ils for pro o fs
o f th e s o lu t io n s w e p rop o se . T h e lim it s o f th e m a jo r ity o f sp e c ie s ar e so u n d e fin a b le th a t few n a tu r
a lis t s are a g r e ed u p o n th em ;* t o a g r e a t e x t e n t th e y a r e m a tt e r s o f o p in io n , e v e n am o n g s t th o s e p e r so
n s w h o b e lie v e th a t sp e c ie s are o r ig in a l an d im m u ta b le c r e a t io n s ; a n d a s o u r k n ow led g e o f th e
forma an d a llie s o f ea ch in c r e a s e s , so d o th e s e d iffe ren ce s o f o p in io n ; th e p ro g r e ss o f s y s t em a t ic s c ien c e
b e in g , in sh o r t, o b v io u s ly un fa v ou rab le to th e v iew th a t m o s t sp e c ie s are lim ita b le b y d e s c r ip tio n s or
ch a ra c te r s, u n le s s la r g e a llow a n c e s are m a d e for v a r ia tion . O n th e o th e r h a n d , w h en d e a lin g w ith
g en e r a , or o th e r c om b in a tio n s o f sp e c ie s, a ll th a t is req u ir ed is th a t th e s e b e cla ssified in n a tu ra l
g r o u p s ; an d th a t su ch g ro u p s are tru e e x p o n en ts o f affin itie s s e tt le d b y N a tu r e is a b u n d a n tly cap ab le
o f d em o n str a tio n . I t is t o an in v e s t ig a tio n o f th e e x te n t, r e la tio n s , a n d p rop o r tion s o f th e s e n a tu ra l
c om b in a tio n s o f sp e c ie s, th e n , th a t w e m u s t lo o k fo r th e m e a n s o f o b ta in in g a n d e x p r e s s in g th e
fea tu r e s o f a F lo r a ; an d i f in th is in s ta n c e th e e x o tic sp e c ie s are w e ll a sc e r ta in ed , i t m a tte r s lit t le
w h e th e r o r n o t th e en d em ic are in a ll ca se s a c cu r a te ly d is tin g u ish e d from o n e a n o th e r . F u r th e r , in
a F lo r a so la rg e a s th a t o f A u s tr a lia , i f th e sp e c ie s are lim it e d an d e s tim a ted b y o n e m in d and ey e ,
th e error s m ad e u n d e r ea ch g e n u s w ill so far cou n te r a c t o n e a n o th e r , th a t th e m e a n r e su lts for th e
g en e r a a n d orde rs w ill sca r c e ly b e a ffec ted . A s i t is , th e m e th o d a d o p ted h a s absorbed m a n y w e ek s
o f la b o u r d u r in g th e la s t five y ea r s, a n d a m u ch g r e a te r d eg r e e o f a c cu ra cy co u ld o n ly h a v e b e en ob ta
in e d b y a d isp ro p o r tio n a te ly g r ea te r o u t la y o f tim e , w h ils t it w o u ld n o t h a v e m a te r ia lly affec ted th e
g en e ra l r e su lts.
W ith r eg a rd to m y ow n r iew s o n th e su b je c ts o f th e v a r ia b ility o f e x is tin g sp e c ie s a n d th e
fa lla c y o f su p p o sin g w e can a sc e r ta in a n y th in g th r o u g h th e s e a lo n e o f th e ir a n c e stry o r o f o r ig in a lly
c rea ted ty p e s, th e y ai-e, in so far a s th e y are lia b le t o in flu en c e m y e s tim a te o f th e v a lu e o f th e fa c ts
c o lle c ted for th e a n a ly sis o f th e A u s tr a lia n F lo r a , u n a lte r ed from th o s e w h ic h I m a in ta in ed in th e
* The most conspicuous evidence of this lies in the fact, that the number of known species o f flowering plants
is by some assumed to be under 80,000, and by others over 150,000.
b 2