Antoine Guichenot
Encyclopedia
Antoine Guichenot or Guichenault ( 1801–1817) was "gardener's boy" on the 1801—1803 French scientific voyage to Australia under Nicolas Baudin
, and the 1817 voyage under Louis de Freycinet
. Very little is known about him, but the records of Baudin's voyage, together with annotations on surviving plant specimens collected by him, suggest that he was poorly educated, with atrocious spelling and little knowledge of botany, yet worked extremely hard, collecting more plant specimens than the officially appointed botanist, Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
, and, despite his poor literacy, labelling them with much more useful annotations. There were five gardeners altogether on the Baudin voyage, the others being Antoine Sautier
, François Cagnet
and Merlot, all under the supervision of Head Gardener Anselme Riedlé
.
His contributions to Australian botany are commemorated in the name of the Australian plant genus Guichenotia
. Guichenault Point, a promontory
on Peron Peninsula
in Shark Bay
, was named after him. Guichenot is the more commonly used spelling of his name, and widely adopted by botanists; but Guichenault is used in François Péron
's journal of the Baudin expedition, and hence for the place named after him.
Nicolas Baudin
Nicolas-Thomas Baudin was a French explorer, cartographer, naturalist and hydrographer.Baudin was born a commoner in Saint-Martin-de-Ré on the Île de Ré. At the age of fifteen he joined the merchant navy, and at twenty joined the French East India Company...
, and the 1817 voyage under Louis de Freycinet
Louis de Freycinet
Louis Claude de Saulces de Freycinet was a French navigator. He circumnavigated the earth, and was one of the first to produce a comprehensive map of the coastline of Australia.-Biography:...
. Very little is known about him, but the records of Baudin's voyage, together with annotations on surviving plant specimens collected by him, suggest that he was poorly educated, with atrocious spelling and little knowledge of botany, yet worked extremely hard, collecting more plant specimens than the officially appointed botanist, Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
Jean Baptiste Leschenault de la Tour
Jean Baptiste Louis Claude Theodore Leschenault de la Tour was a French botanist and ornithologist.Leschenault de la Tour was chief botanist on Nicolas Baudin's expedition to Australia between 1800 and 1803...
, and, despite his poor literacy, labelling them with much more useful annotations. There were five gardeners altogether on the Baudin voyage, the others being Antoine Sautier
Antoine Sautier
Antoine Sautier was a student gardener who was invited to join the Baudin scientific expedition in the corvettes Géographe and Naturaliste to chart the coast of New Holland , make scientific observations and collect natural history specimens...
, François Cagnet
François Cagnet
François Cagnet was the personal gardener to botanist André Michaux. Cagnet was invited to join the Nicolas Baudin voyage of scientific discovery in the corvettes Géographe and Naturaliste to chart the coast of New Holland , make scientific observations and collect natural history specimens...
and Merlot, all under the supervision of Head Gardener Anselme Riedlé
Anselme Riedlé
Anselme Riedlé was gardener at the Jardin des Plantes who was invited to join the Nicolas Baudin scientific expedition in the corvettes Géographe and Naturaliste to chart the coast of New Holland , make scientific observations and collect natural history specimens...
.
His contributions to Australian botany are commemorated in the name of the Australian plant genus Guichenotia
Guichenotia
Guichenotia is a genus of about 16 species flowering plants which are endemic to the south west of Western Australia.The genus name honours Antoine Guichenot, gardener's boy on the 1801–1803 French scientific voyage to Australia under Nicolas Baudin...
. Guichenault Point, a promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
on Peron Peninsula
Peron Peninsula
Peron Peninsula is a long narrow peninsula located in the Shark Bay World Heritage site in Western Australia, at about 25o51' S longitude and 113o30' E latitude. It is some 80 miles long, running north-northwesterly, located east of Henri Freycinet Harbour and west of Havre Hamelin and Faure...
in Shark Bay
Shark Bay
Shark Bay is a World Heritage listed bay in Western Australia. The term may also refer to:* the locality of Shark Bay, now known as Denham* Shark Bay Marine Park* Shark Bay , a shark exhibit at Sea World, Gold Coast, Australia* Shire of Shark Bay...
, was named after him. Guichenot is the more commonly used spelling of his name, and widely adopted by botanists; but Guichenault is used in François Péron
François Péron
François Auguste Péron was a French naturalist and explorer. He is credited with the first use of the term anthropology.-Explorations:...
's journal of the Baudin expedition, and hence for the place named after him.
See also
- List of gardener-botanist explorers of the Enlightenment
- European and American voyages of scientific explorationEuropean and American voyages of scientific explorationThe era of European and American voyages of scientific exploration followed the Age of Discovery and were inspired by a new confidence in science and reason that arose in the Age of Enlightenment...