Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

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

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

Born: 1923, Lahat, Bencoolen, Sumatra.

career:

Botanist, educated at Utrecht University, where he took his Ph.D. degree in 1951. Since 1951 on the staff of the Rijksherbarium at Leiden. In 1954-55 he made a botanical exploration in New Guinea in co-operation with the forest services there. From 1962-65 Botanist-Ecologist at Lae, Territory of New Guinea. He left on completion of his contract to Australia in June 1965. Since May 1967 Curator of the B.P. Bishop Museum Herbarium at Honolulu, Hawaii. Author of many papers on the New Guinean flora; engaged in writing a mountain flora of New Guinea.

Author of a thesis on Podostemonaceae, and several other taxonomical papers.¹

The genus Vanroyena Aubrèv. has been named after him.

Collecting localities:² 

Sailing from Holland (Feb. 6, 1954), Singapore I. (Mar. 4), Labuan I. (8).- to West New Guinea; staying at Sorong (March 12-May 24), exploring the hills in the vicinity, making short trips to the region of Steenkool (Apr. 22-May 4), Moetoeri, and Temboeni, and a 3-day trip to Marchesa Bay on the E. extremity of Batanta Island (March 30-Apr. 3); leaving (end of May) for Hollandia on the N. coast, on the way collecting for 2 days in the vicinity of Manokwari; excursions to Lake Sentani, and foot of Cyclops Mts near Ifar, and collecting at Hollandia and Maribon (May 29-June 14); by plane (June 14) to Lae (Mand. Territory, NE. New Guinea), and making trips with J.S. Womersley to the foot of Saruwaged Range (Busu River area), Yalu Creek, Markham River and valley, and some tributary valleys; by plane to Port Moresby (Papua), where exploring the dry eucalypt savannahs (June 20) and visiting Sogeri Plateau, Kokoda Trail, Javarari Plateau, Rouna Falls (21-23), Brown River (24-27), and finally in the environs of Bulala, Wau, and Eddie Creek (June 28-July 3); returning by car to Lae (NE. New Guinea), from where by plane to Kainantu (NW of Lae) and continuing to Aiyura (c. 1700 m alt.), situated in Nothofagus forests which were explored for some days (July 6-9); by car to Markham and Ramu valleys (9) and returning by plane (12) to Hollandia (N. New Guinea); exploring the foothills of Cyclops Mts (12-30); by plane (30) to Merauke on the S. coast;³ exploration of the savannahs between Merauke and Manggatrike and Taram River (Aug. 1-6); ascending Merau River by boat to Boepoel (6-15), camps S of Senajo (6-12); on foot to Wammeer (Lake Wam) near the Australian border, penetrating into Papua to close to Fly River (15-20), and returning by the same way to Merauke; exploration of the future Koerik rice-fields, N of Koembe River (Sept. 4-9); by plane to Hollandia (18) (N. New Guinea); with R.D. Hoogland (see there) to the Cyclops Mts (Oct. 7-14); small trips to Depapre and some islets in Lake Sentani with H.J. Lam, Hoogland, and others (15-23); with Hoogland to Kebar valley (halfway between Manokwari and Sorong (Oct. 24-Dec. 1)⁴, ascending Mt Nettoti (2000 m) in the Tamrau Mts and exploring the Tombwa hills south of, and the Toghiri hills east of, the valley (27-30); return by plane to Hollandia (Dec. 1); exploration in foothills of Cyclops Mts and ascent of Mt Baboko (16-20); by plane to Sorong (Jan. 4, 1955); from Sorong (12) to P. Waigeo⁶, sailing into Majalibit Bay and making a base camp on the east bank near Selogof; climbing the Buffelhoorn (880 m) via Waifoi (13-18); crossing the eastern peninsula to Kabare (24-28); visiting the islet Rauki in the Bay of Kabare (29, 31), and the E. side of the bay (Feb. 2); trip to the Kambelé hills S of Kabare (1); return to Selogof and crossing Majalibit Bay to Loepintol, exploring the southern part of the bay as far as Mt Bomjai (8-12); from Loepintol crossing to Sessil Bay (9); finally from Selogof to Poean Bay, Poean Isthmus, Go hills, and Fofak Bay (15-18); return at Sorong (22), from where sailing for Holland.-1961. Luzon (1 week in Mountain Prov.). W. New Guinea: Hollandia, Cyclops Mts, SE., S., and SW. part (May 23-Aug. 23, partly with H. Sleumer and J. Dijkstra).⁷-1962. Terr. of New Guinea: McAdams Park, Kauli Creek, Wau (June 13); Lake Wanum-Wau (July 5); Oomsis logging area, Wau (July 9-11); Aiyura area (12); Wau, Bulolo area (Aug. 20-23); Keglsugl area, Lengagl Creek, Lake Aunde, Mt Wilhelm to the summit (Sept. 17-27); Edie Creek area, Wau (Oct. 9-12); Kauli Creek, Wau (Nov. 14-15); various localities around Lae.-1963. Around Lae, Umi R. area, Adzare Range, Leron R., etc.; Papua: Rouna Falls, Sogeri Plateau (Jan. 24-25); Terr. of New Guinea: Rawlinson Range and Saruwaket, W of the main ridges (Feb. 20-Mar. 2), with Mr and Mrs Millar, climbing Mt Enggom too; Markham R. near Bridge (Mar. 17), Lae Botanic Garden (18-22); Lae-Mumeng Plateau-Bulolo (27); Nadzap Airstrip N of Lae (Apr. 28); Adzare Range (May 4); Lae Botanic Garden; Edie Creek, Wau, Kaindi, Kauli Creek (21-25); Lae Bot. Gard. (June 6); Adzare Range (13-16); Lae to Voco Point along Solomons Sea (18); Oomsis logging area (19); Adzare Range (20); trip to Bougainville I. (June 20-July 8), on the way to and from making a trip in Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain; trips around Toiumonapu Plantation to Crownprince Range (June 28-July 4); New Britain, Vulcan I. between Rabaul and Kokopo (July 7), S of Kerevat (7), Matupi volcano (8);⁸ Adzare Range and Lae Bot. Garden (15-31); Oomsis logging area to Markham Bridge (Aug. 11). Trip to Mt O’Dan (Sept. 2-9): by car from Lae to Goroka, Kundiawa, and Nondugl; northward to the Wahgi-Jimmy Divide following the Warrapuri R.; Mt Bangeta (13,500 ft),⁹ Sarawaket Range (Nov. 1).-1964. Lae-Wau road (June 16-Aug. 4); Markham R.-Lake Wanum, Red Hill Swamp, Adzare Range, Lae Bot. Garden (Aug. 29-Sept. 9); Buzu R. (Oct. 27); Markham Point Ridge (Nov. 10 & 17).-1965. Papua. Trip to the Upper Vanapa Valley (Jan. 7-26), Murray Pass (Wharton Range) and Mt Albert Edward, W. summit (Mt Biota) (Jan. 7-26): Woitape-Kosipi track (7-12), Mt Kumme-Mt Amorwange track up to summit (13-17), Woitape-Murray Pass track (18-26, camp at Avios, 9000 ft), Murray Pass and Tsjidibombo-Mt Biota (22-23; 11,500 ft).¹⁰

collections:

Herb. Leiden [L]: 1st set, 2555 nos from New Guinea⁵. Dupl. specimens of woody plants (2nd and 3rd set) would be sent to Hollandia or Manokwari later. Other dupl. will be distributed in due time. About 35 nos were collected together with Chr. Versteegh (see there), with van Royen numbers.

Herb. Lae [LAE]: New Guinea plants (1962-65), NGF series 15003-30178, usually in 8 or more specimens, distributed following the usual scheme, 1st set to Leiden [L], 2nd to Brisbane [BRI], etc.

literature:

(1) On New Guinea: ‘Orchideeën in Nieuw Guinea’ I (Orchideeën 17, 1955, p. 71-76, 5 fig.).

(2) Cf. Verslag Rijksherbarium Leiden for 1954-55, p. 12-14; P. VAN ROYEN: ‘Botanical exploration of New Guinea’ (Discovery, July 1956, p. 269-273, fig. 1-5, 1 map); ‘De botanische expeditie 1954-55 in Nieuw Guinea’ (Tijd. K.N.A.G. 73, 1956, p. 329-347, 6 fig., 10 photogr.); ‘De botanische exploratie van Nieuw-Guinea in de jaren 1954 en 1955’ (Schakels NNG, 38, 1960, p. 28-35, 3 fig.).

(3) P. van Royen: ‘Notes on a vegetation of clay-plains in southern New Guinea. Etc.’ (Nova Guinea n.s. 7, 1956, p. 175-195, pl. 9-11); ‘Notes on the vegetation of South New Guinea’ (Nova Guinea, Bot. no 13, 1963, p. 195-241, pl. 13-16, map).

(4) P. van Royen: ‘Kebar vallei, land van Araucaria’s’ (Nederlands Nieuw Guinea 3⁴, 1955, p. 12-13, 2 fig.).

(5) A new Batis by van Royen in Nova Guinea n.s. 7, 1956, p. 187-195, fig. 1-2, t. 11; ‘A new Staurogyne (Scroph.) and some Acanthaccae from New Guinea’ (Nova Guinea n.s. 8, 1957, p. 129-155, fig. 1-7); ‘Coombea, a new genus of Rutaceae’ (Nova Guinea, Bot. no 2, 1960, p. 9-12, 1 fig.).

(6) P. van Royen: ‘Vegetation of some parts of Waigeo Island’ (Nova Guinea, Bot. no 5, 1960, p. 25-62, 5 fig., 5 pl.).

(7) P. van Royen: ‘An outline of the flora and vegetation of the Cycloop Mountains’ (Nova Guinea, Bot. no 21, 1965, p. 451-469, fig. 1, pl. 38-41).

(8) P. van Royen: ‘Blanche Bay Vulcanoseres’ (Trans. Papua and N.G. Sc. Soc. 1962, p. 12-15, 1 map).

(9) P. van Royen: ‘Sketch of the alpine vegetation of Mount Bangeta’ (Trans. Papua and N.G. Sc. Soc. 1964, p. 14-20, 2 pl.); ‘The genus Papuzilla (Brassicaceae)’ (Nova Guinea, Bot. no 19, 1964, p. 427-433, 2 fig.).

(10) P. van Royen: ‘Notes on the vegetation of Mount Biota (Papua)’ (Acta Bot. Neerl. 15, 1967, p. 530-534).