KerrW

Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

Kerr, William

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 8: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement II)

Died: 1814, Ceylon

career:

A Kew gardener and botanical collector who travelled in China (Canton, 1803) and later in the Philippines and Java, and forwarded many exotic plants to England. In 1812 he was appointed Superintendent of the Botanic Garden on Slave Island near Colombo (in 1821 this garden was transferred to Peradeniya in Ceylon.

The genus Kerria A.P.DC. was named in his honour.

Collecting localities:¹

1805. Leaving Macao (Febr. 1) for the Philippines with Mr Campbell: Luzon, Manila (Febr. 13-Apr. 1), helding endless discussions with the authorities, and dispatching living seeds and plants from Manila and vicinity to China; setting out (Apr. 2) to Antipolo in the mountains, making trips in the environs; to Cayinta, Pasig River, and St. Ann’s (4); back to Manila (5); vicinity of Manila (visiting St. Ann’s again on 15 and 17); to Pasig (6); Laguna, Bagumbayan, Muntinlupa, S. Pedro Tunasan, Biniang, Santa Rosa, Cabugao (7); Calamba, foot of Mt Maquiling (8); excursion in the wood near Calamba, Baños (9); to Mt Maquiling and back to Baños (10); in wood near Baños (12); to hot spring in the mountains (13); in vicinity of Laguna etc. (16-20); leaving Baños (21), Calauan, San Pablo de los Montes; collecting in the vicinity of San Pablo (Batangas Prov.) (22-23); Tiaong (23-24); Sariaya (25), Tayabas (26); excursions to the near mountain etc. (27-29); to Lumban (29); Mahayhay (30), excursion in the vicinity (June l); Santa Cruz (l-10); Pasanjan (capital of Laguna), Lumban, Langas, Pangil, Siniluan (I1); Mabitac, Santa Maria de Cabuan, Panay (12); Baras, Moron (14); to Manila via Cayinto and Pasig (15); small trips near Manila (26-end of the month); embarking for Macao (Sept. 2).-Java evidently was visited on another occasion, probably about 1805 too. Data at Kew make it clear that he visited Java in 1804, not in 1805.

collections:

He sent living plants to England (the bulk arriving in poor condition), some of which might have been preserved in a herbarium. He was assisted by Magante in the Philippines, and obtained a collection from S. Juan del Monte collected by an inhabitant.

literature:

(1) cf. his autograph journal of a ‘Botanical mission to the Island of Luconia in the year 1805’ in the Library Brit. Mus., Bot. Dept.

biographical data:

Gard. Chron. 16, 1881², p. 570; Biogr. Index Britten & Boulger in Journ. Bot. 27, 1889, p. 215 and in 2nd ed. by Rendle, 1931; Kew Bull. 1891, p. 304; Journ. Kew Guild 1897, p. 29; Bretschneider, Hist. Bot. Disc. China, 1898, p. 189-191; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936; Cox, Planthunting in China, 1945, p. 49.

	Career Collecting localities Collections Literature Biographical data
	Kerr, William
	(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors) (Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 8: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement II)
	Died: 1814, Ceylon
	career: A Kew gardener and botanical collector who travelled in China (Canton, 1803) and later in the Philippines and Java, and forwarded many exotic plants to England. In 1812 he was appointed Superintendent of the Botanic Garden on Slave Island near Colombo (in 1821 this garden was transferred to Peradeniya in Ceylon. The genus Kerria A.P.DC. was named in his honour.
	Collecting localities:¹ 1805. Leaving Macao (Febr. 1) for the Philippines with Mr Campbell: Luzon, Manila (Febr. 13-Apr. 1), helding endless discussions with the authorities, and dispatching living seeds and plants from Manila and vicinity to China; setting out (Apr. 2) to Antipolo in the mountains, making trips in the environs; to Cayinta, Pasig River, and St. Ann’s (4); back to Manila (5); vicinity of Manila (visiting St. Ann’s again on 15 and 17); to Pasig (6); Laguna, Bagumbayan, Muntinlupa, S. Pedro Tunasan, Biniang, Santa Rosa, Cabugao (7); Calamba, foot of Mt Maquiling (8); excursion in the wood near Calamba, Baños (9); to Mt Maquiling and back to Baños (10); in wood near Baños (12); to hot spring in the mountains (13); in vicinity of Laguna etc. (16-20); leaving Baños (21), Calauan, San Pablo de los Montes; collecting in the vicinity of San Pablo (Batangas Prov.) (22-23); Tiaong (23-24); Sariaya (25), Tayabas (26); excursions to the near mountain etc. (27-29); to Lumban (29); Mahayhay (30), excursion in the vicinity (June l); Santa Cruz (l-10); Pasanjan (capital of Laguna), Lumban, Langas, Pangil, Siniluan (I1); Mabitac, Santa Maria de Cabuan, Panay (12); Baras, Moron (14); to Manila via Cayinto and Pasig (15); small trips near Manila (26-end of the month); embarking for Macao (Sept. 2).-Java evidently was visited on another occasion, probably about 1805 too. Data at Kew make it clear that he visited Java in 1804, not in 1805.
	collections: He sent living plants to England (the bulk arriving in poor condition), some of which might have been preserved in a herbarium. He was assisted by Magante in the Philippines, and obtained a collection from S. Juan del Monte collected by an inhabitant.
	literature: (1) cf. his autograph journal of a ‘Botanical mission to the Island of Luconia in the year 1805’ in the Library Brit. Mus., Bot. Dept.
	biographical data: Gard. Chron. 16, 1881², p. 570; Biogr. Index Britten & Boulger in Journ. Bot. 27, 1889, p. 215 and in 2nd ed. by Rendle, 1931; Kew Bull. 1891, p. 304; Journ. Kew Guild 1897, p. 29; Bretschneider, Hist. Bot. Disc. China, 1898, p. 189-191; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936; Cox, Planthunting in China, 1945, p. 49.