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: 1935, Ruislip, Middlesex, England.

career:

Botanist educated at Cambridge University (1953-56), arrived in Singapore in Dec. 1956 with a Colonial Development and Welfare Grant for 1957. He will study the anatomy of the bark of Dipterocarpacae and other families in relation to taxonomy, and in due time submit this subject as dissertation for Ph.D. at Cambridge. During his stay in Malaya his work consisted mainly of collecting, while the subsequent analysis will be made at Cambridge.

Took his Ph.D. in 1960, and in the same year collected in Ecuador with the Oxford University Expedition. From Sept. 1962-Sept. 1964 Forest Botanist in the British Solomon Islands; from Sept. 1965-Apr. 1972 Forest Botanist under the Colombo Plan at Kepong, Malaysia, specially in connection with the work for the ‘Tree Flora of Malaya’, interrupted by a stay at Cambridge and Kew (1968/69), and a visit to the New Hebrides and the British Solomon Islands (Feb.-May 1970).

He definitely left Malaya mid-April 1972, repatriating after a fortnight of palm collecting in Peninsular Thailand.

His thesis and earlier publications mainly on bark morphology, but author of numerous others on systematics,¹ plant geography, conservation,² ecology, and miscellaneous subjects. Co-editor of an issue on National Parks, and chief editor of the ‘Tree Flora of Malaya’.³

Whitmorea Sleumer has been named after him. 

Collecting localities:

1957. Malaya: in every state except Kelantan. Also in Sarawak, Brunei, and the E. coast of Br. N. Borneo, Singapore with visits to SE. Johore and Pulai Mangrove Reserve (Jan. 5-Mar. 22). Malaya: Selangor, For. Res. Inst. Kepong; Kanching, Serendah and Semangko For. Reserves (23-31); Perlis, S. Kedah and Penang (31-Apr. 8); Perak, Maxwell’s Hill, Taiping; Bubu F. R., Kuala Kangsar; Lumut locality; Piah and Keladang Siong For. Reserves, lpoh (9-16); Perlis (22-26); Selangor, F.R.I. Kepong (28-May 11); Negri Sembilan, Sungei Menyala F. R., Port Dickson (12-20); Negri Sembilan, Kuala Pilah Distr. (21-26); Selangor, Bt Lagong F. R. (27-June 9); Pahang, Kuantan Distr. (12-21); Trengganu, Bt Bauk F. R., Dungun (22); Kuala Trengganu Distr. (23-24); Johore, Mersing Distr. (July 18-Aug. 2). NW. Borneo, Sarawak: Kuching Distr. (Aug. 19-28); Brunei: Temburong Distr. (29-Sept. 14), Belait Distr. (Sept. 15-Oct. 4); N. Borneo: Labuan I. (Oct. 5-7); Lungmanis felling concession, 30 miles W of Sandakan (Oct. 8-12); around Sandakan (13-15); Kalabakan felling concession, 40 miles W of Tawau (16-25). Malaya (Nov. 13-20): Selangor, Kanching, Serendah, and Sungei Lallang For. Reserves.-1962-64. In the Solomon Islands.-1965. Joined in Royal Society Expedition to Solomon Is. (July-Sept.) (cf. Corner).-1966. Malay Peninsula: Pahang, Jengka F. R. & Kemasul F.R. (Feb.); Johore, Labis F.R. (Apr.); P. Penang (May); Selangor, G. Bunga Bua (May); Kedah & Perlis (June); Ulu Perak (July); Perak, G. Bubu (Aug.); Sarawak, Semengoh (Aug.); Perak, Slim Hills F.R. (Sept.); Perak, Kinta Hills (Oct.); Selangor, Genting Highlands (Nov.); Cameron Highlands (Dec.).-1967. Perak. G. Bubu, Lumut F. R. and Pangkor I. (Feb.); Pahang, G. Benom (Mar.);⁴ Pahang, Kuala Lompat (Apr.); W. Pahang and N. Johore (May); Selangor, Genting Highlands (May & June); Trengganu, Bt Bauk F.R. (June); Pahang, Tasek Bera and Palong F.R. (July); Kelantan near Gua Musang and Ulu Nenggiri (July); Kelantan, Ulu Lebir and Ulu Aring (Sept.); Selangor, Genting Highlands (Nov.).-1968. Kedah, G. Inas F. R. (Feb.); Pahang, Taman Negara including G. Tahan (Feb.-Mar.);⁵ Johore, Lenggor F. R., Kluang F.R. and G. Belumut (May); Kelantan, Kemahang F. R. (June); Trengganu, Mandi Angin Expedition (July 1-18); Selangor, G. Nuang (Aug.).-1969. Johore, G. Ledang (Mt Ophir) (July); Kelantan, G. Stong (Aug.); Trengganu, G. Padang expedition (Sept.); Java: Tjibodas (Sept.); Pahang, Bt Tapah, K. Lompat and Maxwells Hills in Perak (Nov.); Langkawi Is (Dec.).-1970. Negri Sembilan, Sg. Menyala F.R. (June); Pahang, Taman Negara, Ulu Sat, Ulu Sepia (July); Pahang, Cameron Highlands (Sept. and Oct.); Tapah Hills (Oct.).-1971. Ulu Sungei Perak (Jan.); SW. Pahang and border Johore (Feb.); Pahang, Kuala Lipis to Cameron Highlands (May-June); Pahang, Taman Negara, and Trengganu, Ulu Sg. Trengganu (June); Trengganu, Kemaman, Perak and Taiping, Pahang, Fraser’s Hill (Aug.); P. Penang (Oct.).-1972. Ulu Sg. Trengganu (Feb.); S. Kelantan, G. Rabong (Mar.).

Small trips with few collections have been omitted; above-mentioned trips have partly been made with Dransfield,⁵ Shah, or Cockburn.

collections:

(Supplement I) Consecutively numbered 1-680, most collections in duplicate only of sterile material and accompanied by a bark sample (temporarily sent to Cambridge [CGE], ultimate destination as yet undecided). About 50 general collections, usually of 6 sets for more general distribution, usually of fertile material.

(Supplement II) Collections 1957, numbered TCW 1-686, distributed to Sing. [SING], Cambr. [CGE], and Leiden [L] (when fertile). General Malaysian collections (1965-72), mainly trees, numbered in the new FRI series (1-1000, 3001-4950, 8501-9000, 12001-13000, 15001-16000, 20001-?) Herb. Kepong [KEP], principally distributed to Kew [K], Leiden [L], Sing. [SING], Arn. Arbor. [A], Bog. [BO], Cambr. An important palm collection at Kepong [KEP], with virtually no dupl. In Malaya he especially collected in under-collected or/and hard to visit places.

Collections from Borneo to Herb. Kuching [SAR]and Sand. [SAN] too; few numbers collected jointly with J.A.R. Anderson (see there) numbered in the Sarawak series; from Brunei joint collections with P.S. Ashton, numbered BRUN 389-700, distributed by Ashton (see there).

In the Solomons (1962-64) about 4000 collections were made; during the Roy. Soc. Exp. (1965) numbered in the RSS series, in 1970 with TCW nos. Collections from Ecuador, New Hebrides, B.S.I.P. [BSIP] (1970) and Thailand in the TCW series.

literature:

(1) Papers, but also a book: ‘Palms of Malaya’ (Oxford Univ. Press 1973).

(2) (with E. Soepadmo & A. Ho): ‘National Parks of Malaysia’ (special issue of Mal. Nat. J. 24, 1971, p. 111-262).

(3) In which besides author of numerous families (Publ. by Longman, London, 1972-            ).

(4) T.C. Whitmore: ‘An outline of the Forest Zones on northeast Gunong Benom’ (Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) 23, no 2, 1972, p. 11-15). See also ‘Introduction’ by Lord Medway, I.e. p. 3-7, 2 maps, and paper on bryophytes and filmy ferns by Anne Johnson, I.e. p. 17-20, and photographs by Lord Medway.

(5) J. Dransfield & T.C. Whitmore: ‘Palm hunting in Malaya’s National Park’ (Principes 13, 1969, p. 83-98, 16 fig.); ‘A Podostemacea new to Malaya, Indotristicha malayana’ (Blumea 18, 1970, p. 152-155, pl. 1, fig. 1).