Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

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

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 5: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement I)

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

Born: July 1, 1907, Poerworedjo, Java. Died: July 10, 1994, Jakarta, Indonesia.

career:

Botanist, educated at Utrecht University, taking his Ph. Dr’s degree in 1936 on a systematic paper on Surinam Lauraceae. In 1938 he was granted the Buitenzorg Fund, and accordingly went to Java; teacher in natural history at Batavia till 1940; end 1941 appointed Assistant for Systematic Botany at the Agricultural College, Buitenzorg. From 1942-45 P.O.W. of the Japanese, lastly in Siam. Early in 1946 he made an expedition in Siam with Bloembergen and den Hoed (see those), proceeding on his own, returning to Java in Sept. 1946. Subsequently he was sent out on a study and collecting tour in Siam and Indo-China, being back in Java in June 1947. At present on the staff of the Forest Research Institute, Buitenzorg. Since 1956 Head of the Botanical Division of the Forest Research Institute at Bogor.

In summer 1962 in Europe, in 1967 in Europe and the U.S.A., in 1971-73 he worked in Europe, viz at Leiden, Aarhus, Kew, Paris, and Zurich.

Author of several taxonomic papers, especially on Lauraceae, Malpighiaceae, and Labiatae.

Cryptocarya kostermansiana C.K. Allen was named after him and several plants were named after him.

Collecting localities:

1938. Malay Peninsula: in swamp and peat forest; E. Java: G. Raoeng, G. Idjen-Merapi, G. Jang, G. Baloeran; W. Java, islands in the Bay of Batavia and Bantam: P. Leiden, P. Babi, etc.; Centr. Java: Noesa Kambangan (Nov. 20-23) with C. van Woerden (see there).-1948. S. Borneo: Sampit and vicinity (March 6-Apr. 25). Dutch West New Guinea: forest exploration in the plains on the W. coast of Geelvink Bay, S of Manokwari (June-Oct., about 4 months); trips were made to the Namtoei Mts in search of the ‘Massooi’ tree, and to Angi Gita Lake in the Arfak Mts (12 days).²-1949. Expedition to Morotai (Moluccas)³: Totodoku in the W. part (May 5-18); G. Para-Para and tour via Sambiki and Sangowo River (22-31); Tjao and Totodoku (June 3-16); Military Camp (17-20); Tjao (21); Ngele Ngele and Tjia (23-24); and at other localities. Banka (Aug. 23-Oct. 27): Lobok Besar (SE. part), G. Pading, G. Maras, G. Mangkol-1950. Centr. Celebes: Malili region; whole collection destroyed by fire at Makassar. E. Borneo: Sg. Wain region near Balikpapan (Aug. 20-Nov. 10).-1951. E. & NE. Borneo: Samarinda (May 5-6); Sangkulirang Island (May 19-June 2); Sg. Menubar near Cape Mangkaliat and G. Tapianlobang (June 5-24); Sg. Susuk, NE of Sangkulirang Bay (June 26-July 12); Sg. Kerajaan, N of Sangkulirang Bay (July 15-22); Sekrat Mts, SE of Sangkulirang (26-30); Sg. Menubar and G. Tapianlobang (Aug. 5-6); Sg. Susug (7); Sg. Bambangan at the mouth of the Mahakam River (13-16); and at other localities in the vicinity of Sangkulirang and Samarinda. Centr. Java: E. slope G. Muria (Nov. 23-27); E. slope near Djurang (Dec. 4).-1952. E. Borneo: Loa Djanan, upstream of Samarinda (Apr. 10-29); Loa Haur, upstream of Loa Djanan (May 6-19); Sg. Bambangan and Sg. Tiram near the southern mouth of the Mahakam River (May 19-June 11); Djambu on Sg. Bongan (debouching in the lake region S of Central Kutai) (June 30); from Djambu to Sg. Tulus (on the Peak of Balikpapan, G. Beratus), 140 m alt. (July 1); bivouac Beül on the Peak, 700 m alt.; to the summit, 1200 m alt. (5-23); Rempé on Bongan River (24); Tgd. Bangko and area near Sangasanga downstream of Samarinda (Aug. 1-6).-1953. S. Borneo: vicinity of Sampit (July 20-21); Kualakuajan on the Sampit River and G. Santuai (July 25-Aug. 22). NE. Borneo (Oct. 29, 1953-Jan. 10, 1954): to Nunukan and Bulungan. Exploration of the Semoi River system in E. Borneo (from May 1954); at Loa Djanan and Loa Haur, W of Samarinda (Aug. 22-Sept. 8).-1955. E. Borneo: Sg. Mentawir region near Balikpapan (Feb. 22-25), near G. Mentawir (Feb. 27-March 2), near village Mentawir (March 3-5), Loa Djanan region W of Samarinda (15-16). Centr. Borneo: trip along the Belayan River (parallel to the Telen), near Long Bleh (March 25-Apr. 8), Mt Kelopok and G. Tamankuling near Tabang (Apr. 12-May 3), near Kembang Djangut (May 6-15). W. Java: Udjung Kulon (Aug. 1-7); S. Sumatra: with A. Dilmy in the Semangus area, Palembang (Sept., 300 nos); Tjaban For. Res. near Muara Enim (Musi River) (Nov. 15-Feb. 6). -1956. Centr. Borneo: Belajan and Kelindjau Rivers (July 20-Oct. 10); Mahakam Estuary (July 15-19); Tundjung Plateau (July 25-Aug. 2); Kelindjau River near village Bentuk (14), near village Melan (15); foot of G. Kelopok near Tabang on Belajan River (Aug. 21-Sept. 2); G. Palimasan near Tabang on Belajan River (6-19).-1957. NE. Borneo: Sangkulirang Distr., G. Medadem (July 27-Aug. 14); basin of Karangan River (Aug. 23-Sept. 8); G. Ilas Bungaän (Berouw = Berau) (Sept. 8-19); G. Ilas Mapulu (Berouw) (20-24).1958. W. Java and Prinseneiland; Bali: Bedugul (June).-1960. W. Java: Tandjung Lajar, P. Peutjang, and Udjung Kulon (July); Tjibodas (Sept. 13).-1961. Leaving Tandjong Prick (Mar. 27) in the ‘Samudera’ with 2 ‘mantri’s’ of the Herbarium, 3 students (Sujarta, Prijanto, Wirawan), to Sumbawa:⁴ touching Bandjermasin (30), Surabaya (Apr. 1- , paying a visit to the Bot. Garden at Purwodadi); arrival at Sumbawa Besar (7), Badas; making collections at: 8 km E of Sumbawa Besar (8-9); Semongkat, 17 km W of Sumbawa Besar (11-12); Batudulang on the slope of the Batulanteh, W of Semongkat (12-18), from c. 700-summit (1200 m); trail to Punih, 600 m (19); between Semongkat and Batudulang (20-21); in mountain forest from Batudulang to Brangbossang, 700-900 m alt. (22-25); bivouac at Brangbossang, 800-900 m alt. (26), and from 800-1200 m (26-28); N of Batudulang, Mt Samperolat, 500-800 m (Apr. 29-May 6) in drier forest; to Pusu on the NW. side of the mountains, 500 m alt. (May 7-11); back to Batudulang and Semongkat (12), 200-500m alt.; Apr. 27 they were joined by 2 Russians, Dr A. Fedorov (Curator of the Leningrad Herb.) and Dr Kabanov of the Forestry Service, accompanied by Kuswata (see there) of Herb. Bog. SW. Java: near (Lake) Rawah Danau (July 19-20). In the same year for the 2nd time to Sumbawa:⁴ leaving in the ‘Samudera’ (Oct. 14) with several others, including Mr Mamad, assistant of the Bot. Div. of the Forest Research Institute at Bogor; Oct. 19-Nov. 8 was spent in the field, collecting in the same places as earlier in the year in order to get fertile material of those species which were not in flower or fruit the first time. W. Java, Bantam: lower W. slope of Mt Hondje (Dec. 28-Jan. 2, 1962).-1963. Kalimantan (former Dutch Borneo): leaving Bogor (Sept. 12) for a tour to the Berau region (NE.): from Tandjong Redeb to Long Lanuk on the Sg. Kelai; base bivouac at the foot of Mt Njapa (limestone), where he fell ill and returned to Tg Redeb, in the meantime Mr Sim leading field operations; later in lowland forest N of Teluk Bajur and in swamp forest along Sg. Sega (collecting over 700 field nos); on Nov. 14 back at Bogor.-1964. W. Java: Mt Pangrango (Feb.); Mt Pajung and Udjung Kulon Reserve (Dec.).-1965. Flores. With N. Wirawan, leaving Bogor (Mar. 20 ; Waingapu (Sumba), Ende, to Mborong (S. Manggarai); base camp at Kisol, exploring the Mt Ndeki complex; Wae Rana and explorations southwards to the coast; Ruteng, exploring the forest up to 2400 m; swamp forest W. of Mborong; Wirawan to Rana (= lake) Mesé near Sita mountains above Ruteng, and further to the North, to Reo; June 2 back at Bogor. In Dec. a short trip to Central Sumatra was made in company of Mr Jahn (a German forester) and a team of Japanese foresters.-1966. Expedition to W. Irian (for collecting plants causing permanent or temporary sterility in women): SW. Celebes: Bantimurung near Makassar (July 20); Irian: surroundings and in the valleys of Sukarnapura (= Hollandia) (July 25-Aug. 15); vicinity of Lake Sentani and Sukarnapura (Aug. 16); Sukarnapura (17); Dosai, E of Sukarnapura (18); Abepura near Sukarnapura (19-20), Sukarnapura (21); Dosai (22-25); Baliem valley, surroundings of Wamena and Wellesey up to 2500 m (26-Sept. 3); P. Biak: Bosnik (Sept. 9); Parieri (9-13); P. Morotai (16).

Occasionally plants were collected in Bogor Botanic Garden, in Singapore, Java, and Ceylon.

collections:¹

Herb. Bog. [BO]; including 200 nos, mostly phanerogams, from Noesa Kambangan. The other collections 1938 also in private Herbarium. The collector failed to make sufficient notes in situ and did not know himself the localities of the plants collected in the islands near W. Java, so plants of several islands are mixed up. Herb. For. Res. Inst. Buitenzorg [BZF]: 500 wood samples + herbarium material from New Guinea; in due time dupl. will be presented to Herb. Bog. [BO].

Nos 601-1688 and 7800-7912 from Morotai (1949), in total 1200 nos. Collections up to 1949 all numbered at Bogor. All collections in Herb. For. Res. Inst. Bog. [BZF], dupl. in Herb. Bog. [BO] > 14075.

The Russians (guests of the Council for Sciences) who joined the Sumbawa expedition (1961) would get a set of the collection, nos 18001-18865; the expedition was financed by the Council. In Flores (1965) 1300 nos were collected (about 6 dupl. sets); in W. Irian & Biak (1966) 1000 nos.

The numbers 11000-12000 were given to living plants; in Hort. Bog. [BO].

literature:

(1) A.J.G.H. Kostermans: ‘Notes on New Guinea plants’ 1-111 (Bull. Jard. Hot. Gard. Btzg 111, 18, 1950, p. 435-448, 3 fig.); ibid. IV (Reinwardtia 1, 1952, p. 459-461, 1 fig.); ‘Notes on durian (Durio) species of East Borneo’ (Trop. Natuur 33, 1953, p. 31-35, 3 fig.).

(2) A.J.G.H. Kostermans: ‘Bosonderzoek Kolonisatieobject Momi-Ransiki. Nieuw Guinea’ (mimeographed by For. Res. Inst. Bogor, 2 vols, 1948).

For sketch map of his route in the Arfak Mts, and comments on labels etc., see W. Vink, Nova Guinea, Bot. 22, 1965, p. 488-489, fig. 3.

(3) A.J.G.H. Kostermans: ‘Reisverslag Morotai 8 April-6 Juni 1949’ (mimeographed by For. Res. Inst. Bogor, 27 pp.; provisional report).

(4) Cf. Fl. Mal. Bull. no 16, 1961, p. 802; A.J.G.H. Kostermans: ‘Notes on the Vegetation of W. Sumbawa (Indonesia)’ (Symp. Ecol. Res. Humid Trop. Veget. Kuching 1963; UNESCO Sc. Coop. Off. SE. Asia 1965, p. 15-25, 2 fig.).