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David Burke (botanist)
Encyclopedia
David Burke was one of the most widely travelled plant collectors, who was sent by James Veitch & Sons to collect plants in British Guiana
, Burma and Colombia
. In his later life, Burke became rather eccentric, preferring the privations of life away from his native England.
and joined Veitch as a gardener at Chelsea, London
. In 1880, after expressing a desire to travel, he was asked to accompany Charles Curtis
on a trial trip to Borneo, where they were instructed by Harry Veitch
to collect specimens of Nepenthes northiana
; the search for the elusive pitcher plant was unsuccessful, but the pair discovered many other species, including many interesting stove (hot-house) plants, palms, and orchids. At the end of the trip, Burke returned to England with the collection of plants, including large consignments of slipper orchids, Paphiopedilum stonei
and P. lowii
, as well as many Vandas, Rhododendron
s, and the beautiful Stove-foliage plant, Leea amabilis.
In 1881, Burke was sent to British Guiana
, where he re-discovered the insectivorous plant Heliamphora nutans
, which had not been seen since its discovery on Mount Roraima by the two brothers Robert
and Richard Schomburgk
in 1839, and successfully introduced it to England. Amongst orchids he introduced from British Guiana were the rare Zygopetalum burkei (named after him) and Phragmipedium lindleyanum
; from that trip he also sent the stove-house plant Amasonia punicea.
Two years later, Burke visited the Philippines
with the instructions to search for Phalaenopsis
; amongst those he introduced were Phalaenopsis mariae
(previously discovered by Frederick William Burbidge
in the Sulu Archipelago
in 1878), which Burke located on the hills near the south-east coast of the island of Mindanao
. On Mindanao, he also discovered Phaius philippinensis on the slopes of the hills at 3,000-4,000 ft. elevation; this was interesting as being the first species of the genus Phaius
to be discovered in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, he also discovered and introduced Nepenthes burkei
, a species of pitcher plant
which was named after him, and Dendrobium taurinum
, which he found on Ambon Island
.
He subsequently visited New Guinea
(twice), from where he introduced Cirrhopetalum robustum and Coelogyne veitchii as well as returning to Burma to search for orchids. During the years 1894 to 1896 he made three trips to Colombia to search for Cattleya mendelii, C. schroedera, C. trianae
and Odontoglossum crispum
. On the last trip, he also introduced Marattia burkei, although his notes did not record the locality.
. The circumstances of his death were reported back to England by a German commercial traveller.
According to Hortus Veitchii, "This traveller (Burke) crossed a greater area of the earth's surface and covered more miles in search of plants than any other Veitchian collector, with the possible exception of the two brothers William
and Thomas Lobb
." In her biography of the Veitch family, Sue Shephard describes Burke as Harry Veitch
's "strangest, longest–serving and most adventurous orchid collector".
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, Burma and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. In his later life, Burke became rather eccentric, preferring the privations of life away from his native England.
Plant hunter
Burke was born in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and joined Veitch as a gardener at Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
. In 1880, after expressing a desire to travel, he was asked to accompany Charles Curtis
Charles Curtis (botanist)
Charles Curtis was an English botanist who was sent by James Veitch & Sons to search for new plant species in Madagascar, Borneo, Sumatra, Java and the Moluccas, before settling in Penang, where he became the first superintendent of the Penang Botanic Gardens.-Early days:Curtis was born in...
on a trial trip to Borneo, where they were instructed by Harry Veitch
Harry Veitch
Sir Harry James Veitch was an eminent English horticulturist in the nineteenth century, who was the head of the family nursery business, James Veitch & Sons, based in Chelsea, London...
to collect specimens of Nepenthes northiana
Nepenthes northiana
Nepenthes northiana , or Miss North's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo, where it grows at elevations ranging from 0 to 500 m above sea level. The specific epithet northiana honours Marianne North, who first illustrated the species...
; the search for the elusive pitcher plant was unsuccessful, but the pair discovered many other species, including many interesting stove (hot-house) plants, palms, and orchids. At the end of the trip, Burke returned to England with the collection of plants, including large consignments of slipper orchids, Paphiopedilum stonei
Paphiopedilum stonei
Paphiopedilum stonei is a species of orchid, endemic to Borneo ....
and P. lowii
Paphiopedilum lowii
Paphiopedilum lowii is a species of orchid endemic to western and central Malesia.-External links:...
, as well as many Vandas, Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s, and the beautiful Stove-foliage plant, Leea amabilis.
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
, where he re-discovered the insectivorous plant Heliamphora nutans
Heliamphora nutans
Heliamphora nutans is a species of Marsh Pitcher Plant native to Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana, where it grows on several Tepuis, including Roraima, Kukenan, Tramen and Ilu. H...
, which had not been seen since its discovery on Mount Roraima by the two brothers Robert
Robert Hermann Schomburgk
Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk , was a German-born explorer for Great Britain who carried out geographical, ethnological and botanical studies in South America and the West Indies, and also fulfilled diplomatic missions for Great Britain in the Dominican Republic and Thailand.-Biography:Schomburgk...
and Richard Schomburgk
Moritz Richard Schomburgk
Moritz Richard Schomburgk was a German botanist.In 1844 he went on the Prussian-British expedition to Guyana and Brazil, led by his brother Robert. He collected for the Museum of the University of Berlin. After the political turmoil in Europe in 1848, he emigrated to Gawler, South Australia...
in 1839, and successfully introduced it to England. Amongst orchids he introduced from British Guiana were the rare Zygopetalum burkei (named after him) and Phragmipedium lindleyanum
Phragmipedium lindleyanum
Phragmipedium lindleyanum is a species of orchid ranging from northern South America to Brazil ....
; from that trip he also sent the stove-house plant Amasonia punicea.
Two years later, Burke visited the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
with the instructions to search for Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis
Phalaenopsis Blume , abbreviated Phal in the horticultural trade, is an orchid genus of approximately 60 species. Phalaenopsis is one of the most popular orchids in the trade, through the development of many artificial hybrids....
; amongst those he introduced were Phalaenopsis mariae
Phalaenopsis mariae
Phalaenopsis mariae is a species of orchid found from Sabah, Borneo to the Mindanao island, Philippines....
(previously discovered by Frederick William Burbidge
Frederick William Burbidge
Frederick William Thomas Burbidge was a British explorer who collected many rare tropical plants for the famous Veitch Nurseries. Burbidge's first job was as a gardener at Kew Gardens...
in the Sulu Archipelago
Sulu Archipelago
The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the southwestern Philippines. This archipelago is considered to be part of the Moroland by the local rebel independence movement. This island group forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea....
in 1878), which Burke located on the hills near the south-east coast of the island of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. On Mindanao, he also discovered Phaius philippinensis on the slopes of the hills at 3,000-4,000 ft. elevation; this was interesting as being the first species of the genus Phaius
Phaius
Phaius is a genus of large, mostly terrestrial orchids . The genus has about 20 species. These species are found in tropical Asia, into China, Japan, Australia, and west to Africa and Madagascar...
to be discovered in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, he also discovered and introduced Nepenthes burkei
Nepenthes burkei
Nepenthes burkei |David Burke]], British plant collector) is a tropical pitcher plant native to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, where it grows at an elevation of 1100–2000 m. It is very closely related to N. sibuyanensis and N. ventricosa...
, a species of pitcher plant
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
which was named after him, and Dendrobium taurinum
Dendrobium taurinum
Dendrobium taurinum, the Bull Orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the Orchidaceae family....
, which he found on Ambon Island
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
.
He subsequently visited New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
(twice), from where he introduced Cirrhopetalum robustum and Coelogyne veitchii as well as returning to Burma to search for orchids. During the years 1894 to 1896 he made three trips to Colombia to search for Cattleya mendelii, C. schroedera, C. trianae
Cattleya trianae
Cattleya trianae , also known as Flor de Mayo or "Christmas Orchid" , is a plant belonging to the Orchidaceae family. It grows as an epiphytic orchid, with succulent leaves, endemic to Colombia where it was nominated as the National Flower in November 1936...
and Odontoglossum crispum
Odontoglossum crispum
Odontoglossum crispum is an epiphytic orchid from the genus Odontoglossum. It is considered by many to be the most beautiful orchid of all but is also one of the most difficult to grow.-Description:O...
. On the last trip, he also introduced Marattia burkei, although his notes did not record the locality.
Death and obituary
In 1896, having spent a short time in England, Burke embarked on what was to be his final voyage, to the Celebes Islands and the Moluccas. Prior to his departure, he stated: "I’m off again and if I make a good meal for someone I hope I shall give full satisfaction." On 11 April 1897, he died on Ambon IslandAmbon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
. The circumstances of his death were reported back to England by a German commercial traveller.
According to Hortus Veitchii, "This traveller (Burke) crossed a greater area of the earth's surface and covered more miles in search of plants than any other Veitchian collector, with the possible exception of the two brothers William
William Lobb
William Lobb was a Cornish plant collector, employed by Veitch Nurseries of Exeter, who was responsible for the commercial introduction to England of Araucaria araucana from Chile and the massive Sequoiadendron giganteum from North America.He and his brother, Thomas Lobb, were the first...
and Thomas Lobb
Thomas Lobb
Thomas Lobb was a British botanist and, along with his older brother, William Lobb, collected plants for the plant nursery Veitch....
." In her biography of the Veitch family, Sue Shephard describes Burke as Harry Veitch
Harry Veitch
Sir Harry James Veitch was an eminent English horticulturist in the nineteenth century, who was the head of the family nursery business, James Veitch & Sons, based in Chelsea, London...
's "strangest, longest–serving and most adventurous orchid collector".