Brian Laurence Burtt
Encyclopedia
Brian Laurence Burtt (27 August 1913 Claygate
, Surrey
- 30 May 2008 Edinburgh
), was an English botanist and taxonomist who is noted for his contributions to the family Gesneriaceae
. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation B.L.Burtt when citing
a botanical name
.
, and then at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
(RBGE). He made numerous field trips to South Africa
and Sarawak
and described a total of 637 new plant species, of which the greater number were Gesneriaceae
, a family poorly represented at the RBGE when Burtt started there in 1951. Members of this family are key indicators of habitat health.
He was educated at Dulwich College
, excelling in Latin. After Dulwich he was employed at Kew as herbarium assistant to Sir Arthur William Hill, the Director. Here he learnt to work with dried plant material from all over the world, painstakingly dissecting and classifying. Burtt wrote his first paper in 1932 with the assistance of John Hutchinson
, the authority on South African plants. This was the first of 384 papers, the final being published in 2006.
Another of his papers appeared in 1935 and was co-authored by the Director, Sir Arthur William Hill
, dealing with two genera from New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia, Gaultheria
and Pernettya. He took night classes in botany at Chelsea Polytechnic, and was awarded an external Bachelor of Science
from the University of London
in 1936.
No work had been done at RBGE on Zingiberaceae until the 1960s when Burtt and Paddy Woods went on a collecting trip to Sarawak. By the 1980s RBGE led the world in their extensive living collection of Zingiberaceae from Malaysia and Borneo
, only being rivalled in recent years by that of the Smithsonian Institution
.
In 1962 Burtt left Edinburgh on the first of five strenuous collecting trips to Sarawak. He made the first of 19 visits to South Africa in 1964, to collect and study Streptocarpus
. Here he made the acquaintance of fellow botanist Olive Hilliard
of Natal University, and started a collaboration which would last some 44 years.
Their botanical collaboration was extraordinarily prolific, resulting in numerous papers and three books, Streptocarpus: an African Plant Study (1971), The Botany of the Southern Natal Drakensberg (1987), and Dierama: The Hairbells of Africa (1991). They revised the taxonomy of the twinspur, Diascia, a South African member of the Scrophulariaceae
. The diascias with which they returned to Scotland were noticed by the nurseryman Hector Harrison, who raised cultivars from this original stock and turned the plant in the space of ten short years into one of the most popular subjects for gardeners throughout Britain.
Through Burtt's work, Edinburgh became an important research centre for Gesneriaceae, and led to the popularity in Britain of African violet and Streptocarpus
as window-sill plants. Another favoured family were the Zingiberaceae
, among which are ginger
, turmeric
, cardamom
and some species of medicinal interest.
for his 90th birthday, including numerous contributions from friends and colleagues scattered throughout the world. An attractive tree-dwelling Aeschynanthus
from Sulawesi
, Aeschynanthus burttii Mendum was named in his honour. Burtt could transform quite readily from his customary Edinburgh tweed suit to a khaki safari outfit suitable for the tropics, at ease in either habitat.
Burtt was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
and the Linnean Society of London
, and a holder of the Veitch Memorial Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society
, the Linnean Society of London’s Medal for Botany and the Gesneriad Society
’s Award of Appreciation.
Claygate
Claygate is a village in the English county of Surrey, approximately south west of London and within the Metropolitan Green Belt.It is primarily a residential area but with offices, farms and two shopping areas with a supermarket, five pubs and numerous restaurants...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
- 30 May 2008 Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
), was an English botanist and taxonomist who is noted for his contributions to the family Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of ca. 150 genera and ca. 3,200 species in the Old World and New World tropics and subtropics, with a very small number extending to temperate areas. Many species have colorful and showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants.Most...
. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation B.L.Burtt when citing
Author citation (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, author citation refers to citing the person who validly published a botanical name, i.e. who first published the name while fulfilling the formal requirements as specified by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature...
a botanical name
Botanical name
A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar and/or Group epithets must conform to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants...
.
Education & Career
Burtt, in a career that spanned 74 years, worked first at the Royal Botanic Gardens, KewRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, and then at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
(RBGE). He made numerous field trips to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
and described a total of 637 new plant species, of which the greater number were Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae
Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of ca. 150 genera and ca. 3,200 species in the Old World and New World tropics and subtropics, with a very small number extending to temperate areas. Many species have colorful and showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants.Most...
, a family poorly represented at the RBGE when Burtt started there in 1951. Members of this family are key indicators of habitat health.
He was educated at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
, excelling in Latin. After Dulwich he was employed at Kew as herbarium assistant to Sir Arthur William Hill, the Director. Here he learnt to work with dried plant material from all over the world, painstakingly dissecting and classifying. Burtt wrote his first paper in 1932 with the assistance of John Hutchinson
John Hutchinson (botanist)
John Hutchinson, OBE, FRS was a renowned English botanist, taxonomist and author.-Life and career:...
, the authority on South African plants. This was the first of 384 papers, the final being published in 2006.
Another of his papers appeared in 1935 and was co-authored by the Director, Sir Arthur William Hill
Arthur William Hill (botanist)
Sir Arthur William Hill FLS FRS , was Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and a noted botanist and taxonomist....
, dealing with two genera from New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia, Gaultheria
Gaultheria
Gaultheria is a genus of about 170-180 species of shrubs in the family Ericaceae. The name memorializes Jean François Gauthier of Quebec, a mis-spelt honour bestowed by the Scandinavian Pehr Kalm in 1748. These plants are native to Asia, North and South America, and Australasia...
and Pernettya. He took night classes in botany at Chelsea Polytechnic, and was awarded an external Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1936.
No work had been done at RBGE on Zingiberaceae until the 1960s when Burtt and Paddy Woods went on a collecting trip to Sarawak. By the 1980s RBGE led the world in their extensive living collection of Zingiberaceae from Malaysia and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, only being rivalled in recent years by that of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
.
In 1962 Burtt left Edinburgh on the first of five strenuous collecting trips to Sarawak. He made the first of 19 visits to South Africa in 1964, to collect and study Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, closely related to the genus Saintpaulia. One common name is Cape Primrose, referring to the nativity of several species to South Africa and their superficial resemblance to the genus Primula...
. Here he made the acquaintance of fellow botanist Olive Hilliard
Olive Mary Hilliard
Olive Mary Hilliard is a noted South African botanist and taxonomist.Hilliard attended Natal University in the years 1943-47 where she obtained an MSc and later a PhD. She worked at the National Herbarium in Pretoria in 1947-48 and was a lecturer in botany at Natal University from 1954 to 1962...
of Natal University, and started a collaboration which would last some 44 years.
Their botanical collaboration was extraordinarily prolific, resulting in numerous papers and three books, Streptocarpus: an African Plant Study (1971), The Botany of the Southern Natal Drakensberg (1987), and Dierama: The Hairbells of Africa (1991). They revised the taxonomy of the twinspur, Diascia, a South African member of the Scrophulariaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Scrophulariaceae, the figwort family, are a family of flowering plants. The plants are annual or perennial herbs with flowers with bilateral or rarely radial symmetry. Members of the Scrophulariaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution, with the majority found in temperate areas, including...
. The diascias with which they returned to Scotland were noticed by the nurseryman Hector Harrison, who raised cultivars from this original stock and turned the plant in the space of ten short years into one of the most popular subjects for gardeners throughout Britain.
Through Burtt's work, Edinburgh became an important research centre for Gesneriaceae, and led to the popularity in Britain of African violet and Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus
Streptocarpus is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, closely related to the genus Saintpaulia. One common name is Cape Primrose, referring to the nativity of several species to South Africa and their superficial resemblance to the genus Primula...
as window-sill plants. Another favoured family were the Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae
Zingiberaceae, or the Ginger family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of aromatic perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes, comprising ca. 52 genera and more than 1300 species, distributed throughout tropical Africa, Asia, and the Americas.Many species are important...
, among which are ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
, turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
, cardamom
Cardamom
Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds...
and some species of medicinal interest.
Honours and Awards
In 2003 the Edinburgh Journal of Botany published a festschriftFestschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
for his 90th birthday, including numerous contributions from friends and colleagues scattered throughout the world. An attractive tree-dwelling Aeschynanthus
Aeschynanthus
Aeschynanthus is a genus of ca. 185 species of tropical herbs. They are found in southern and southeastern Asia, the islands of Indonesia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. They are usually trailing epiphytes with brightly colored flowers that are pollinated by sunbirds. Among the better known...
from Sulawesi
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, Aeschynanthus burttii Mendum was named in his honour. Burtt could transform quite readily from his customary Edinburgh tweed suit to a khaki safari outfit suitable for the tropics, at ease in either habitat.
Burtt was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
and the Linnean Society of London
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
, and a holder of the Veitch Memorial Medal of the Royal Horticultural Society
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 in London, England as the Horticultural Society of London, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert...
, the Linnean Society of London’s Medal for Botany and the Gesneriad Society
Gesneriad Society
The Gesneriad Society, Inc. is an international horticultural society devoted to the promotion, cultivation, and study of gesneriads . The organization was founded in 1951 as the American Gloxinia Society by Elvin McDonald and incorporated in the state of Missouri in 1954...
’s Award of Appreciation.
Personal
After the death in 2004 of his wife Joyce, from whom he had separated in the 1960s, Burtt married Olive Hilliard. He is survived by Olive Hilliard, and the two sons of his first marriage.External links
- http://www.rbge.org.uk/science/herbarium/about-the-collections/collectors#b_burttRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghThe Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
]