PKEEACE.
The want of a General I ndex to Dr. Wight’s Figures having been often experienced by me, when
referring to these invaluable representations of Indian Plants, I compiled a Manuscript Key some years
ago, for my own use. This having been sought for by my friends and correspondents, and being considered
a Desideratum by many of the Subscribers to this important work, I ventured to suggest that
Government (through whose munificent aid the work was published) should print the Index with a
view to rendering these “ leones Plantarum Indiæ Orientalis,” 2101 in number, and published between
1838 and 1853, readily accessible for the purposes of Science. This proposal was liberally acceded to,
and I trust that the Index will be found simple and intelligible. The arrangements is as follows.
1st. A General Alphabetical Latin Index with a reference to the number of the Plate, the Volume
will be indicated by referring to the subjoined
Blates from
Synopsis of
1 to 318
Plates.
contained in Volume I
a i f . 319 736' „ 11
■ .if. a 737 ” n 6 2 | if a H I
8 H ; 1163 „ 162li a 'if IV
a a 1622 „ 1920 ii . a ' \ " „ v
1 ■ 1 1 1921 2101 if. if 1 1 VI
2nd. A General Systematical Index with the same reference to Plate.
Whatever arrangement .the subscribers- have adopted in binding the Volumes, the above Indexes
must be desirable for reference. To many who do not possess the work the Indexes will be valuable for
ascertaining what plants are figured in it.
The. names under which the drawings were originally published, have been retained except in a few
instances, where Dr. Wight has requested that they should be corrected. The Synonyms given by the
author are printed in Italics. It seemed inexpedient to introduce any further synonyms, or to attempt
anything beyond facilitating a reference to the delineations of my valued friend.
Feeling that anything I could write, would carry little weight compared to the opinions of such high
authorities as Hooker and Thomson, I have thought it proper to extract the following passage in reference
to Dr, Wight’s leones, which occurs in their Introductory Essay to the Flora Indica.
“ This is not the place to dwell on the extraordinary exertions in the cause of Science :of the author
of this great work, which is the best proof of his wonderful energy, and shows what can be accomplished
by perseverance under apparently insurmountable obstacles. At the period of the publication of the earlier
numbers, the art of Lithography was in a very rude state in India, and the Plates are consequently very
imperfect; but in the later Volumes the improvement is great, and the outline Drawings are admirably
reproduced. The Volumes form the most important contributions, not only to Botany, but to Natural
Science, which have ever been published in India, and they have been of the greatest service to us
throughout our labours.”
. I t is thus admitted that Dr. Wight has accomplished ^ great work, which is as essential to the
student of the Indian Flora, as Sowerby’s English Botany is in Britain, but several important families of
Endogens remain to be delineated, such as the Palms, Grasses and Lilies (in part.) It is to be hoped that
some qualified Botanist will take these in hand, and so, complete the Illustration of the Indian Flora thus
prematurely dropped.
Madras,
17th December 1856.
H. CLEGHORN.