Johannes Elias Teijsmann
Encyclopedia
Johannes Elias Teijsmann (June 1, 1808—June 22, 1882) was a botanist and plant collector. He was born in Arnhem
, Netherlands
.
Teijsmann travelled to Java
in 1830 as Gardener ("hortulanus") of Governor General van den Bosch. He was appointed the Curator (= 'hortulanus') of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens
the following year, a post he held until 1869. He took part in numerous important botanical expeditions especially to the Sunda Islands
, but also throughout the Malay Archipelago
; Teijsmann also was part of a Dutch fact-finding mission to Siam (presently Thailand
). Among many other things, he is famous - or ought to be - for stimulating the introduction of the cassava
(from the island of Bantam
, near Sumatra
) as a food source to alleviate prevalent famines in the then Dutch Indies, and also for his efforts (together with his collaborator Hasskarl
) with regard to the cultivation of the cinchona tree (from Peru
) for the production of quinine
to treat malaria
(ca. 1852/1854). For his bitter controversy with J.E. de Vrij and Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn
about the relative merits of the various species of Cinchona
(C. calisaya versus C. pahudiana) see the successive issues (from 1862) of Natuurkundig tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië. His personal interest in palm trees led him to introduce to Indonesia
the oil palm
(from West Africa
) which is until the present highly important to much economy in the isles.
Teijsmann died in 1882 in Buitenzorg (now Bogor), Java
; in recognition of his great service to "'s Lands Plantentuin", a small monument was erected for him by his friends soon after his death in what is now called the Medan Teijsmann in the Garden (Kebun Raya Bogor).
The genus Teysmannia (since the work of Harold Emery Moore more correctly called Johannesteijsmannia
) is named in his honour, together with several plant species. He was also commemorated in the periodical Teysmannia, which was published between 1890 and 1922. In 1925, it was incorporated into De Indische Culturen-Teysmannia.
His surname is sometimes spelled Teysmann, although he himself always spelled it Teijsmann; his correspondence was voluminous and much of it is still extant and awaits an edtior.
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Teijsmann travelled to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
in 1830 as Gardener ("hortulanus") of Governor General van den Bosch. He was appointed the Curator (= 'hortulanus') of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens
Bogor Botanical Gardens
The Bogor Botanical Gardens are located 60 km south of the capital of Jakarta in Bogor, Indonesia. The botanical gardens are situated in the city center of Bogor and adjoin the Istana Bogor...
the following year, a post he held until 1869. He took part in numerous important botanical expeditions especially to the Sunda Islands
Sunda Islands
The Sunda Islands are a group of islands that form part of the Malay archipelago.They are further divided into the Greater Sunda Islands and the Lesser Sunda Islands.-Administration:...
, but also throughout the Malay Archipelago
Malay Archipelago
The Malay Archipelago refers to the archipelago between mainland Southeastern Asia and Australia. The name was derived from the anachronistic concept of a Malay race....
; Teijsmann also was part of a Dutch fact-finding mission to Siam (presently Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
). Among many other things, he is famous - or ought to be - for stimulating the introduction of the cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
(from the island of Bantam
Bantam
Bantam may refer to:* Bantam , a small variety of poultry* Bantamweight, a weight class in boxing-Places:* Bantam , a city and former sultanate on Java island, in Indonesia...
, near Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
) as a food source to alleviate prevalent famines in the then Dutch Indies, and also for his efforts (together with his collaborator Hasskarl
Justus Carl Hasskarl
Justus Carl Hasskarl was a Dutch explorer and botanist specialising in Pteridophytes, Bryophytes and Spermatophytes.-Biography:He was cofounder of the Society of natural Curiosities of India, in Bavaria...
) with regard to the cultivation of the cinchona tree (from Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) for the production of quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
to treat malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
(ca. 1852/1854). For his bitter controversy with J.E. de Vrij and Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Friedrich Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn , was a German botanist. His father, Friedrich Junghuhn was a barber and a surgeon. His mother was Christine Marie Schiele. Junghuhn studied medicine in Halle and in Berlin from 1827 to 1831, meanwhile publishing a seminal paper on mushrooms in Limnaea...
about the relative merits of the various species of Cinchona
Cinchona
Cinchona or Quina is a genus of about 38 species in the family Rubiaceae, native to tropical South America. They are large shrubs or small trees growing 5–15 metres in height with evergreen foliage. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate and 10–40 cm long. The flowers are white, pink...
(C. calisaya versus C. pahudiana) see the successive issues (from 1862) of Natuurkundig tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië. His personal interest in palm trees led him to introduce to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
the oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
(from West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
) which is until the present highly important to much economy in the isles.
Teijsmann died in 1882 in Buitenzorg (now Bogor), Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
; in recognition of his great service to "'s Lands Plantentuin", a small monument was erected for him by his friends soon after his death in what is now called the Medan Teijsmann in the Garden (Kebun Raya Bogor).
The genus Teysmannia (since the work of Harold Emery Moore more correctly called Johannesteijsmannia
Johannesteijsmannia
Johannesteijsmannia is a genus of four species of palms found in tropical rainforests of southern Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. They are fan palms, usually growing without a trunk....
) is named in his honour, together with several plant species. He was also commemorated in the periodical Teysmannia, which was published between 1890 and 1922. In 1925, it was incorporated into De Indische Culturen-Teysmannia.
His surname is sometimes spelled Teysmann, although he himself always spelled it Teijsmann; his correspondence was voluminous and much of it is still extant and awaits an edtior.