CollettH

Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

Collett, Colonel Sir Henry

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

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

Born: 1836. Died: 1902.

career:

Entered the Bengal Army when he was nineteen, taking part in several campaigns, mostly in India; in 1867-68 he accompanied the Abyssinian expedition. His first interest in botany was in 1878 during the Kuram Valley expedition, but it was not before 1885 that his attention seriously turned to botanical work; he collected plants in Burma in 1887-88 when in command of a brigade there. He retired in 1893, the year of his visit to Java,¹ eventually settling in London.

About 1895 his plan for a ‘Flora Simlensis’ began to ripen, and resulted in his devoting his years of retirement to botanical studies.²

Collecting localities:¹

From Singapore (Apr. 26, 1893); W. Java: Batavia (28), and proceeding to Buitenzorg; visits to the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden and the Govt Experimental Plantation (= ? Cultuurtuin); by train (May 3) to Bandoeng; trip to Lambeng (= Lembang) and G. Tangkoebanpraha (= prahoe);³ by train from Bandoeng to Garoet; trips in the environs, to hot springs at the base of a mountain (= ? Kawa Manuk), ? Wanaradja Lake, G. Papandajan (from Tjisoeroepan), Telaga Bodas; by train to Tjiandjoer, from where to Sindanglaja (staying nearly a week), making trips to Tjibodas, Tjiburram (= Tjibeureum, slope G. Gedeh) waterfalls, Megamendoeng Pass (= Poentjak) and Telaga Warna; return to Buitenzorg and Batavia, sailing (May 17) to Centr. Java: Semarang (arrival on the 19th) and proceeding to Ambarawa; trip to Temanogoeng (= Temanggoeng); to Magelang (3 days’ stay), Boroboedoer; to Djokjakarta (25), Prambanan temples; by railway to Soerakarta or Solo and straight through to E. Java: Soerabaja; next day to Passoeroewan (= Pasoeroean); to Tosari and Bromo Volcano via Poespo (making a list of Himalayan flowers which he recognized, and it amounted to over 60 species!), ‘ Sea of Sand’ (= Zandzee), to Djaboeng and Malang; by rail to Soekaredjo, from where to Prigen, trip to Lalidjiwo (slope G. Ardjoeno); from Porong by train to Soerabaja; sailing for Batavia (staying a few hours on P. Bawean); sailing for Singapore (arriving June 12).

collections:

Herb. Kew [K]: plants from various countries, Burma, Java, etc., 746 nos.

literature:

(1) Sir H. Collett: ‘Six weeks in Java’ (Blackwood Magaz. Edinb. 1894², p. 78-97.
(2) Author of ‘Flora Simlensis’ (Calcutta & Simla 1902; 2nd ed. 1921).
(3) cf. Koorders, Exk. Flora, 3, 1912, p. 17.

biographical data:

‘Flora Simlensis’ l.c. p. xv-xxii; Buckland, Dict. Ind. biogr., 1906.

	Career Collecting localities Collections Literature Biographical data
	Collett, Colonel Sir Henry
	(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors) (Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Addenda & Corrigenda)
	Born: 1836. Died: 1902.
	career: Entered the Bengal Army when he was nineteen, taking part in several campaigns, mostly in India; in 1867-68 he accompanied the Abyssinian expedition. His first interest in botany was in 1878 during the Kuram Valley expedition, but it was not before 1885 that his attention seriously turned to botanical work; he collected plants in Burma in 1887-88 when in command of a brigade there. He retired in 1893, the year of his visit to Java,¹ eventually settling in London. About 1895 his plan for a ‘Flora Simlensis’ began to ripen, and resulted in his devoting his years of retirement to botanical studies.²
	Collecting localities:¹ From Singapore (Apr. 26, 1893); W. Java: Batavia (28), and proceeding to Buitenzorg; visits to the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden and the Govt Experimental Plantation (= ? Cultuurtuin); by train (May 3) to Bandoeng; trip to Lambeng (= Lembang) and G. Tangkoebanpraha (= prahoe);³ by train from Bandoeng to Garoet; trips in the environs, to hot springs at the base of a mountain (= ? Kawa Manuk), ? Wanaradja Lake, G. Papandajan (from Tjisoeroepan), Telaga Bodas; by train to Tjiandjoer, from where to Sindanglaja (staying nearly a week), making trips to Tjibodas, Tjiburram (= Tjibeureum, slope G. Gedeh) waterfalls, Megamendoeng Pass (= Poentjak) and Telaga Warna; return to Buitenzorg and Batavia, sailing (May 17) to Centr. Java: Semarang (arrival on the 19th) and proceeding to Ambarawa; trip to Temanogoeng (= Temanggoeng); to Magelang (3 days’ stay), Boroboedoer; to Djokjakarta (25), Prambanan temples; by railway to Soerakarta or Solo and straight through to E. Java: Soerabaja; next day to Passoeroewan (= Pasoeroean); to Tosari and Bromo Volcano via Poespo (making a list of Himalayan flowers which he recognized, and it amounted to over 60 species!), ‘ Sea of Sand’ (= Zandzee), to Djaboeng and Malang; by rail to Soekaredjo, from where to Prigen, trip to Lalidjiwo (slope G. Ardjoeno); from Porong by train to Soerabaja; sailing for Batavia (staying a few hours on P. Bawean); sailing for Singapore (arriving June 12).
	collections: Herb. Kew [K]: plants from various countries, Burma, Java, etc., 746 nos.
	literature: (1) Sir H. Collett: ‘Six weeks in Java’ (Blackwood Magaz. Edinb. 1894², p. 78-97. (2) Author of ‘Flora Simlensis’ (Calcutta & Simla 1902; 2nd ed. 1921). (3) cf. Koorders, Exk. Flora, 3, 1912, p. 17.
	biographical data: ‘Flora Simlensis’ l.c. p. xv-xxii; Buckland, Dict. Ind. biogr., 1906.