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Flora Novae-Zelandiae

Further information about some of these people can be found in the on-line version of the New Zealand Dictionary of National Biography.

Hooker acknowledged in the introduction to the Flora that he was ‘indebted for the materials of these volumes’ to ‘correspondents, most of them still alive’, of whom Bidwill, Colenso, Sinclair, Dieffenbach, M. Raoul and Lyall ‘stand pre-eminent as indefatigable collectors and explorers’. Lyall’s trip on the Acheron was especially important, and he also mentioned a Mr Menzies (NB: not yet identified). ‘Of new gleaners in the field I would especially mention’ Dr Munro, Mr Knight, Rev. Taylor, Capt. Drury, Mr Jolliffe, Capt. D. Rough and Lieutenant-Colonel Bolton, all of whom have sent valuable contributions. It is true that these contain little novelty, but they throw light on the distribution of species, and afford materials for tracing their geographical limits’ .

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Bidwill, John Carne (1815–53)

Arrived Sydney, 1838. Collected in North Island, NZ, in late 1830s and took plants back to Kew. Returned to Sydney 1844, director of Sydney botanic garden (1847–48). Plants at Kew, letters at Kew & Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney . Born in Exeter, England. Sent to NZ by ‘a commercial company’ in 1839, visited Bay of Islands, Roturua, & Taupo. Returned to Sydney, then back to NZ in 1840. Correspondence with Captain P.P. King about plants while stationed at Moreton Bay. King wrote him letter of introduction to William Jackson Hooker when he went to Britain in February 1841. Complained that Lindley had done nothing with plants sent from NZ and that Dieffenbach had got the credit for them. Returned to Sydney in 1844. After trip to Tahiti, ran Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney from 1847, until Charles Moore arrived to take up the position in January 1848 (the job had been inadvertently given to both men simultaneously) (D.A. Herbert, Australian Dictionary of Biography: 98–99).

Hooker said of Bidwill:

Mr. J.T. [sic] Bidwill, a gentleman long resident both in Sydney and New Zealand, and possessed of a remarkable love of botany and knowledge of Australian plants, visited Moreton Bay and Wide Bay, and formed an excellent herbarium, which included many novelties, and was transmitted to Sir W. Hooker. Mr. Bidwill accompanied me in my excursions around Port Jackson, and impressed me deeply, both then and afterwards in England, with the extent of his knowledge and fertile talents. (Hooker 1859: cxxvi)

Sources

Published
  • Bidwill, W.E. & Woodhouse Bidwill of Pihautia (1927). (Includes some letters.)
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
  • Home, R.W. et al (eds.) Regardfully Yours: Selected correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller. Volume 1: 1840–1859, Bern, Peter Lang, 1998.
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.) My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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Bolton, Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel (d.1860)

Collected plants in Auckland Islands, 1850. At Cape, 1853–60. Correspondent of William Jackson Hooker. Plants at Kew .

Sources

Archival

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William Colenso

Colenso, Rev. William (1811–99)

One of the Flora Novae-Zelandiae dedicatees. FRS 1866. To NZ in 1833 as printer for Church Missionary Society (CMS). Plants at Kew, Wellington. Letters and MSS at Kew (J. Linn. Soc. v.32, 1896: 197–208), MSS, Mitchell Library, Sydney .

Born in Penzance, Cornwall and apprenticed to a printer in St Ives (1826). In 1833 began working for London firm of Richard Watts, printers to the CMS. Worked as a printer at Paihia. Great demand for his Maori translations of gospels, etc. Began to do govt. work in 1835, including the Maori text of the Treaty of Waitangi (17 February 1840). At the time he complained to the Lieutenant Governor, William Hobson, that many Maori did not understand the Treaty’s implications, but his protests were ignored. His account of the signing (The Authentic and Genuine History of the Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, 1890) is regarded as the most reliable European account of the signing. Met Darwin in 1835 and Allan Cunningham in 1838 (he received some systematic training from the latter). He explored widely, making some of the first contacts with the Maori of the East Coast, in the 1840s. ‘He adopted the rather unsystematic practice of stuffing botanical specimens down the front of his shirt while on the move.’

An evangelist, he became impatient with the high church style of the missionaries and was ‘rather reluctantly’ accepted as a candidate for ordination by Bishop Selwyn in 1840, who insisted he marry as a prerequisite. He did so, on 27th April 1843, to Elizabeth Fairburn, daughter of a CMS lay missionary. Their marriage is described by Mackay as ‘arranged and subsequently loveless’, but their first child was born just 9 months after it. Colenso was ordained as a deacon in 1844 and sent to the mission station in Hawke’s Bay. He had a huge parish and travelled extensively, proselytising aggressively, partly ‘to escape from a tortuous and decaying domestic situation’. Initially successful, he later alienated Maori with his ‘intolerance and haughtiness’. This, and his humourless nature, led to increasing friction with the local Maori over the four years leading to his suspension in 1852. His opposition to Maori land sales led to friction with the settlers. Began an affair with a Maori girl, Ripeka Meretene, in 1848. When Elizabeth found out, in 1851, she left taking the children and Colenso never saw her or them again. Colenso was suspended in 1852 and lived as virtual recluse for about 4 years, apparently a figure of fun among the Maori he had so often lectured about sin and adultery. Became involved in local politics from 1858, elected to General Assembly in 1861 until ousted by Donald McLean and the runholders in 1866. Increasingly involved in writing and botany, he was commissioned to produce a Maori dictionary in 1865, but money ran out before it was complete, leading to further acrimony. The section that did appear was widely criticised. His suspension as a deacon was revoked in 1894.

Sources

Published
  • Bagnall, A.G. & Petersen, G.C. William Colenso, Wellington 1948.
  • Colenso, William Excursion in the northern island of New Zealand : in the summer of 1841–2. (Published Launceston, V.D. Land : Printed at the office of the Launceston examiner, 1844).
  • Colenso, William In memoriam: an account of visits to, and crossings over, the Ruahine mountain range. Napier, 1884.
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
  • Mackay, David Dictionary of NZ Biography, Vol. 1: 87–89.
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.) My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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Dieffenbach, Dr Johan Karl Ernest (1811–55)

MD. Naturalist to the NZ Company, 1839–41. Visited Chatham Island, 1840. Plants and letters at Kew .

Born in Germany, qualified as MD. Arrived London in 1836, knew Darwin, Lyell and Owen – regarded latter as a mentor. Owen and Darwin may have inspired him to accept the position with the NZ Company. Quarrelled with latter over the value of his collections, argued over their settlement policy and disliked settler society. Denounced CMS missionaries for their land purchases. ‘First trained scientist to live and work in New Zealand’. His Travels in New Zealand was well-received and presented a sympathetic case on behalf of the Maori, their language and culture. Unable to gain a post in NZ, he returned to London and lived as a ‘translator and scientific jack-of-all-trades’. Returned to his native Giessen after the political changes of 1848 and died there in 1855 (Dictionary of NZ Biography: 107–8).

Sources

Published
  • Dieffenbach, Ernest Travels in New Zealand.
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
Archival

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Drury, Captain Byron (1815–88)

Son of Dr Drury, master of Harrow School. Dawson gives brief details of Drury’s career. First naval service 1830. With survey 1848–56.

December 1850, Drury was appointed Commander and Surveyor to the Pandora (‘a sailing brig of about 400 tons’), for its voyage to NZ, where it relieved Captain Stokes of the Acheron. The Pandora’s survey lasted for 5 years, 6 months, until 13th June 1856.

New Zealand waters were very stormy and hazardous. The President of the Geographical Survey singled out the Pandora’s work for praise in his 1856 anniversary address. He noted that regular accounts of the progress of Drury’s survey appeared in the NZ Gazette. He became a Rear-Admiral in 1875 and a Vice-Admiral in 1879. A list of his charts is included in Dawson 1885, p. 71.

Sources

Published
  • Dawson, L. S. Memoirs of Hydrography: including Brief Biographies of the Principal Officers who have Served in H.M. Naval Surveying Service, between the years 1750 and 1885. London, Cornmarket Press Limited, 1885 (1969).
Archival

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Jolliffe, John (1822–87)

Asst. Surgeon RN, 1845. On survey ship Pandora, NZ, 1850–56. Collected NZ plants. Diary 1851–56, Mitchell Library, Sydney .

Sources

Archival

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Knight, Charles (c.1808–91)

Desmond lists as moving to NZ ‘before 1852’ and who died there in 1895. Lichenologist who collected in Australia and NZ. NZ lichens at British Museum (Natural History) and plants at Kew .

Born in Sussex, England. Studied medicine at UCL and practised in the US between 1830–40. MRCS 1840, FRCS, 1869. Went to SA in 1841, worked for Governor George Grey in SA and accompanied the latter when he became Governor of New Zealand in 1845. Knight became auditor general in 1846, then governor of the Colonial Bank of Issue in Auckland in 1855, then received a virtual sinecure as auditor of the public accounts in 1858. In 1865 he chaired the commission that gave James Hector control over the Geological Survey. In 1852, Knight sent drawings of NZ mosses to Kew which were well-received. He then took up lichenology from 1856. FLS 1857, proposed by William Jackson Hooker and Hooker & Andrew Sinclair. From 1860 to 1884, Knight published 16 papers on lichens and two on mosses. Collected in Nelson mountains with David Monro and WTL Travers. Worked at Kew for periods during 1868 & 69. Promoted NZ botany, corresponded with Hooker for over 30 years. Obtained the latter’s commission to write the Handbook of the NZ Flora. His botanical correspondence is at Kew, Helsinki, Munich and Uppsala. Converted to Darwinism by Hooker and Sinclair. Visited Australia in 1881, 83 and 84. (D.J. Galloway, Dictionary of NZ Biography: 228–9).

Sources

Published
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.), My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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Lyall, Dr David (1817–1895)

One of the FNZ dedicatees. MD. FLS 1862. Assistant surgeon on the Terror (sister ship to the Erebus, on which Hooker was assistant surgeon). Botanised with Joseph Hooker in NZ. Letters and plants at Kew. Hooker named Lyallia after him .

Sources

Published
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.) My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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David Monro

Monro, Dr David (1813–77)

Founder of Nelson Horticultural Society. Sent NZ plants to Kew. Explored with Knight. Born in Edinburgh, studied medicine there, graduating MD in 1835. Arrived Nelson, NZ, March 1842. His eldest daughter, Maria Georgiana, married James Hector. (Dictionary of NZ Biography: 293).

Sources

Published
  • Allan, RM Nelson (1965)
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
  • Saunders, A History of NZ (1896–99)
  • Wright-St. Clair, RE Thoroughly a Man of the World (1971).
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.) My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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David Rough

Rough, Capt. David (1815–1899)

British navigator and traveller; an early settler in Auckland; travelled extensively in New Zealand 1849; travelled in United Kingdom, Europe and Turkey 1851–52; Harbour Master and Emigration Agent, Auckland in 1852; travelled in Syria, India, Japan and Australia 1868–73; published Narrative of a Journey through part of the North of New Zealand 1852, and two books on his visits to Europe and the Orient. Landed with Hobson in Paihia in 1840; surveyed Waitemata Harbour in June 1840. Appointed harbour master of Auckland in 1841, and immigration officer in 1842. Married Ellen Short, governess to the Hobson Family. Recaptured the Brig Hannah Kirk from pirates at Big Mercury Bay in 1843. Meteorological observations are recorded in Dieffenbach’s travels. SPCK published an account of Rough’s travels in NZ in 1851. Supervised public works under FitzRoy, and travelled to Rotorua and Waikato. In 1856 he was made collector of customs at Nelson; retired in 1868. In 1874 he was deputy superintendent of Nelson. Made ‘interesting gifts’ to Auckland Museum. Died in England, April 22, 1899.

Sources

Published
  • Yaldwyn, John & Hobbs, Juliet (eds.) My Dear Hector: Letters from Joseph Dalton Hooker to James Hector 1862–1893, Wellington, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1998.
Archival

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Andrew Sinclair

Sinclair, Dr Andrew (1794–1861)

One of the Flora Novae-Zelandiae dedicatees. MD. FLS 1857. Surgeon on Sulphur 1834–42, on convict ship in Australia, 1842. Colonial secretary, NZ, 1844–56. Collected in Australia, NZ and Mexico. Plants at Kew, Montrose Museum and BM(NH). Letters at Kew .

Born in Renfrewshire, Scotland. Never married. Joined RN as assistant surgeon in 1822. From 1823–33 collected botanical and zoological specimens for British Museum (Natural History) at Cape and in Mediterranean. Surgeon on the Sulphur in 1835 under William Beechey during survey of Pacific coasts of North and South America. Until invalided home in 1839, sent specimens to BM(NH) and Kew. Recovered health, worked on convict ships in Australia, visited NZ in 1841, arriving in the Bay of Islands on the Favorite in October. Joined Colenso and Hooker on botanical expeditions. Back to Scotland, then to Tasmania in September 1843, intended to return to Britain but met Robert FitzRoy, then governor elect of NZ (NB this is FitzRoy of the Beagle, Charles Darwin’s former captain: only governor until 1845), ‘the two struck up an immediate rapport’ and Sinclair went to NZ in December 1843, ‘reluctantly’ accepting the post of colonial secretary from, January 1844. Collected botanical specimens during his time as CS, after retirement visited Scotland and Europe. Became friendly with Darwin, Huxley and Owen. FLS 1857. Returned to NZ in 1858 to collect for Hooker’s Handbook. Joined Haast’s 1861 expedition and was drowned crossing the Rangitata. Close friend of Haast, who named Haastia sinclairii after him, as well as Mt. Sinclair, near the Sinclair river. On his death, Hooker wrote, ‘His loss has been a very great one, whether as a botanist or as an enthusiastic and liberal patron of science’ (Brian P.J. Molloy, Dictionary of NZ Biography: 397).

Sources

Published
  • Glenn, Rewa Botanical Explorers of New Zealand. Wellington, 1950.
  • von Haast, HF The life and times of Sir Julius von Haast, 1948.
Archival

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Taylor, Rev. Richard (1805–73)

Botanist and geologist. MA Cantab. Sent to NZ (via NSW) by Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1839

Born Yorkshire. Queen’s College Cambridge, 1825, BA 1828, ordained 1829. Married Mary Caroline Fox 1829. MA 1835, sent to NZ by Church Missionary Society. Arrived Sydney, with family, 1836. On board was fellow missionary, Rev. William Yate. Yate was accused of homosexuality while on board the Prince Regent, and Taylor and family had to stay in NSW 3 years while Taylor testified against Yate. Arrived Bay of Islands in 1839, ran missionary school in Waimate North. Purchased land so as to allow traditional Maori owners to return to it. Present at signing of Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. Fellow of RGS. Awarded silver medal at the NZ Exhibition in Dunedin in 1865. Sent moa bones to Owen and botanical specimens to Hooker. Visited England in 1855–56 and 1867–71 (JMR Owens, Dictionary of NZ Biography: 437–8).

Sources

Published
  • Mead, AD Richard Taylor: missionary tramper Reed, Wellington, 1966
Archival

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Handbook of the New Zealand Flora

In addition to the Flora Novae-Zelandiae, Hooker also published this Handbook (1864, with the financial assistance of the New Zealand government). In his introduction, Hooker mentions all the above, notes that he collected with Sinclair as well as Colenso in 1841. Lyall’s trip with Stokes on the Acheron (1847–49) was important. (J.T. Bidwill is corrected to “J.C.” in Mantell’s copy in the Alexander Turnbull Library.) The following people ‘have contributed interesting and important collections which are embodied in the ‘Flora Novæ-Zelandiæ’ [sic]: Mr Edgerley, Mr Logan, the Rev W Taylor [sic], the ‘late General Bolton‘, Captain Haultaine, Capt. Drury R.N., Mr Jolliffe, Capt. D. Rough, and Mr Stephenson. ‘Since 1854, as I have before observed, no addition of importance has been made to our knowledge of the flowering plants of the Northern Island’. However, he mentions published papers by Knight and Mitten on ‘Flowerless plants’, especially lichens (Trans. Linn. Soc. xxiii 99 & 101), and one by Ralphs on Tree Ferns (Journ. Linn. Soc. Botany iii 163).

Refers to recent work on the Middle Island (now known as the South Island) by Monro, Sinclair & Rough, also WT Luke Travers of Canterbury. Hooker cites Haast as having done the best work since Colenso.

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