I can only, in conclusion, express the hope that this somewhat monumental and, at any rate, laborious work [Flora of tropical Africa], may be found, as I believe certainly it will be, of real service to the material development of the resources of our African possessions. At the moment it perhaps is more appreciated in France and Germany than by our own countrymen.

[Even with the present state of knowledge] … there is already a strong tendency [to experimental research], perhaps regrettable, because those engaged in it prefer the laboratory to the field.

The Flora of Tropical Africa and its twentieth century successors … are valuable tools for the developing nations and are therefore being supported by them. It is encouraging to see the publication of national floras by these independent countries, involving indigenous taxonomic research.

…The Cape has a Mediterranean climate of winter rains, in which the Bantu summer rain crops do not grow. By 1652, the year the Dutch arrived at Cape Town with their winter rain crops of Near Eastern origin, the Xhosa had still not spread beyond the Fish River.