In a previous number of this volume (Blumea V, nr. 1, 1942, p. 66—80), one of the junior writers of the present paper published an account of nomenclatorial changes concerning javanese Verbenaceae. This paper was written as a supplement to a larger work by the senior writer, who has for long years devoted most of his activities to the study of the flora of Java, on which it was his privilege to publish some more or less extensive papers, all of them in the Dutch language 2). These publications may be considered materials for a Flora of Java. In fact, some of them have the character and even the title of such a flora, though on account of several circumstances none of them could be completed. Since the senior writer had retired from his official duties, an attempt was made to fill up this gap. For this purpose numerous scattered annotations were sorted and a start was made with the design of a reviewed and complete Flora of Java, again in Dutch. However, it soon became evident that this work was too extensive a task for a single man of my age and I therefore requested the help of the director of the Rijksherbarium at Leiden. Through his kind mediation the collaboration was procured of some junior assistants. In the first phase of the work financial support to this end was kindly granted, first by the “Maatschappij ter Bevordering van het Natuurkundig Onderzoek der Nederlandsche Koloniën” and afterwards also by the “Korthalsfonds”, managed by the Royal Netherlands’ Academy of Sciences at Amsterdam and by “Greshoff’s Rumphiusfonds”. Prof. Dr A. A. Pulle, Utrecht, kindly took an interest in this work and lent his intermediary in procuring the greater part of the necessary funds. In a later stage, however, also the Government could be convinced of the importance of this work and of a rapid rate of its progress and first one, later on two assistants were added to the Staff of the Rijksherbarium with the special instruction to assist me in my work. Recently a third assistant was appointed at the Botanical Museum and Herbarium of the Utrecht University. I take pleasure to avail myself of this opportunity to tender my best thanks to Dr Pulle and to Dr Lam for their kind collaboration, as well as to the Societies and Foundations, whose generous help in the earlier phases of the work appeared to be vital for starting it.