Christopher Edmund Broome
Encyclopedia
Christopher Edmund Broome (24 July 1812–15 November 1886) was a British mycologist
.
, the son of a solicitor
. He was privately schooled in Kensington
and in 1832 was sent to read for Holy Orders with the curate of Swaffham Prior
in Cambridgeshire
. "Conscientious scruples" prevented him from entering the ministry, however, and later the same year he enrolled at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
where he completed his degree in 1836. He married Charlotte Horman the following year and the couple lived at Rudloe Cottage, near Box
, then at Wraxall Lodge, Clifton
, and finally (in 1848) at Elmhurst, near Batheaston
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
, in Clifton. He developed an expertise in fungi, sending many of his collections to the Rev. M.J. Berkeley
. Together, Berkeley and Broome published a series of "Notices of British Fungi" over a 37-year period, jointly describing no less than 550 new species. The two mycologists also collaborated on descriptions of fungi collected in Sri Lanka by Thwaites and on collections from Brisbane
, Australia. Broome published little on his own, mainly accounts of local fungi from Somerset
and Wiltshire
. His particular interest was in truffles and truffle-like fungi, but he collected widely and carefully. On his death, his herbarium contained some 40,000 fungal specimens, which are now at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
. His botanical specimens and library were willed to the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, where they remain.
Broome became a fellow of the Linnean Society
in 1866. The fungal genera Broomeia and Broomella
were named after him, together with over a dozen fungal species , including Nectriopsis broomeana, Nitschkia broomeana, Ramaria broomei, and the truffle-like Melanogaster broomeanus.
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
.
Background and education
C.E. Broome was born in BerkhamstedBerkhamsted
-Climate:Berkhamsted experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Castle:...
, the son of a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. He was privately schooled in Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
and in 1832 was sent to read for Holy Orders with the curate of Swaffham Prior
Swaffham Prior
Swaffham Prior is a village in East Cambridgeshire, England.Lying 5 miles west of Newmarket, and two miles south west of Burwell, the village is often paired with its neighbour Swaffham Bulbeck, and are collectively referred to as 'The Swaffhams'. Swaffham Prior was often known as Great Swaffham in...
in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. "Conscientious scruples" prevented him from entering the ministry, however, and later the same year he enrolled at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
where he completed his degree in 1836. He married Charlotte Horman the following year and the couple lived at Rudloe Cottage, near Box
Box, Wiltshire
Box is a village located in Wiltshire, England, about east of Bath and west of Chippenham. It is quite a large parish with several settlements, apart from the village of Box, within its boundaries....
, then at Wraxall Lodge, Clifton
Clifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
, and finally (in 1848) at Elmhurst, near Batheaston
Batheaston
Batheaston is a village and civil parish east of Bath, England , on the north bank of the River Avon. The parish has a population of 2,625...
, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Researches in mycology
Broome became interested in natural history whilst at Swaffham Prior and later, with his friend G.H.K. ThwaitesGeorge Henry Kendrick Thwaites
George Henry Kendrick Thwaites was an English botanist and entomologist.Thwaites was initially an accountant and studied botany during his spare time. He was interested particularly in the lower plants such as the algae and the cryptogams...
, in Clifton. He developed an expertise in fungi, sending many of his collections to the Rev. M.J. Berkeley
Miles Joseph Berkeley
Miles Joseph Berkeley was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology....
. Together, Berkeley and Broome published a series of "Notices of British Fungi" over a 37-year period, jointly describing no less than 550 new species. The two mycologists also collaborated on descriptions of fungi collected in Sri Lanka by Thwaites and on collections from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia. Broome published little on his own, mainly accounts of local fungi from Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. His particular interest was in truffles and truffle-like fungi, but he collected widely and carefully. On his death, his herbarium contained some 40,000 fungal specimens, which are now at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal 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...
. His botanical specimens and library were willed to the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, where they remain.
Broome became a fellow of the Linnean Society
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...
in 1866. The fungal genera Broomeia and Broomella
Broomella
Broomella is a genus of fungi in the family Amphisphaeriaceae; according to the 2007 Outline of Ascomycota, the placement in this family is uncertain....
were named after him, together with over a dozen fungal species , including Nectriopsis broomeana, Nitschkia broomeana, Ramaria broomei, and the truffle-like Melanogaster broomeanus.
Selected publications
- Berkeley, M.J. & Broome, C.E. (1850). Notices of British fungi. Annals and Magazine of Natural History Ser. 2, 5: 455-466.
- Berkeley, M.J. & Broome, C.E. (1871). The fungi of Ceylon. Journal of the Linnean Society Botany 11: 469-572.
- Berkeley, M.J. & Broome, C.E. (1880). List of fungi from Brisbane, Queensland with descriptions of new species. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London Ser. 2, 1.
- Broome, C.E. (1864). The fungi of Wiltshire. The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine 8: 170-198.
- Broome, C.E. (1870). Remarks on some of the fungi met with in the neighbourhood of Bath. Proceedings of the Bath Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club 2: 55-98.