> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 11](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33120104) of TL-2 Vol. I > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/30666-1) LSID 30666-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q347903) QID Q347903 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] > [!example] See also [[Afzelius, Adam (Suppl.)|second entry]] for this author ### Author Afzelius, Adam (1750-1837), Swedish botanist in Uppsala, traveller in Sierra Leone, pupil of Linnaeus. **Abbreviated name**: *Afzel.* \[standard form in IPNI: *Afzel.*\] #### Herbarium and types [[Collection UPS|UPS]] (general and Thunberg herbarium), the set sent to Banks is at [[Collection BM|BM]], duplicates [[Collection B|B]], [[Collection C|C]], [[Collection K|K]], [[Collection LD|LD]], [[Collection MO|MO]], [[Collection NY|NY]], [[Collection O|O]], [[Collection OXF|OXF]], [[Collection S|S]], [[Collection SBT|SBT]]. Botanical mss also at [[Collection UPS|UPS]], other mss. Univ. Library Uppsala. *Ref*.: IH 2: 28; KR p. 6 (note). - Vallot, Bull. Soc. bot. France 29: 172. 1882. - Miller, Taxon 19: 511. 1970. - Hepper and Neate, Pl. coll. W. Africa 2. 1971. #### Biographical notes Afzelius studied at Uppsala under Linnaeus (1768, doctor's degree 1776, medical degree 1797) and followed a career at Uppsala University, e.g. as a botanical demonstrator, from 1785 onward; he was appointed professor of materia medica 1812. Afzelius travelled in England and Scotland from 1789-1790, visiting the main centers and collecting in the field as well as in the gardens of Kew and Oxford. Thunberg recommended Afzelius to Banks for employment on a new tropical expedition. William Wilberforce, the philantropist and politician who was associated with the Sierra Leone Company, asked Banks to nominate a botanist to serve for the company at Free Town. The Sierra Leone Company was the successor to the Anti-Slavery Society, both humanitarian undertakings connected with the abolishment of slavery. The Sierra Leone Company was founded in 1791 and opened its settlement at Freetown in 1792. The early history of this undertaking is illustrated in an interesting way by Afzelius' letters to Banks and Smith. Banks recommended Afzelius "a gentlemen by birth, attached to Uppsala University, and standing high as a botanist" for the post providing suitable conditions were offered. Afzelius left early 1792 for Sierra Leone and stayed there at first until the end of 1793, working under difficult conditions, sending fruits, seeds, bulbs, living and dried plants to Banks and the Directors of the Company. The living plants were transferred to Kew. In March 1794 Afzelius left for a second trip to Sierra Leone arriving April 22nd, but ran into the French raid of April 28th, losing most of his equipment. Banks sent new supplies and in 1795 and 1796 Afzelius made new collections. The dried plants were sent to Banks, the Directors of the Sierra Leone Company, to Sir James Edward Smith and to Forster and Thunberg. Afzelius returned to England in 1796, and to Sweden late 1799. He kept a West-African herbarium of his own and planned to publish a *Flora et fauna guineensis*. During his stay in Sierra Leone Afzelius was in contact by correspondence with Banks, Smith, and Thunberg. His collection of fruits was worked upon by J. D. Hooker. After his return to Sweden Afzelius published relatively little: some papers on Guinean plants. He edited Linnaeus' "Egenhandige anteckningar om sig self" (1823). #### Bibliography and biography Barnhart 1: 18; BB p. 2; BM 1: 14; CSP 1: 22; Dawson p. 6-8, 821, 869, 915; Frank p. 3; GR p. 470; Jackson p. 250; Kew 1: 16-17; KR p. 5-7 (*d*. 1836, "the year certainly wrong," Barnhart); LS 759-760; Lasègue 344, 355, 444, 504; NBD 1: 356; PR 25-32; SO ind. p. 7; Zander p. 590. - Scheutz, Bot. Not. 1863: 66. - Dryander, Cat. bibl. hist.-nat. Banks 5: 133 \[index\]. 1800. - Anon., K. Vet. Akad. Handl. 1836: 342-345; Flora 23: 107-112. 1840 (bibl. from Kongl. Vet. Akad. Handl. 1838); see also Flora 20: 112. 1837 (note). - Wittrock, Acta Horti Berg. 3(2): 26. 1903, 3(3): 1. 1905. - Barnhart, NAF 9(6): 427. 1916. - Juel, Levnadsteckningar K. Sv. Vet.-akad. Ledamöter 102. 1930. - Dawson, The Smith papers 8. 1934. - Backer, Verkl. woordenb. 11. 1936. - Lindroth, Lychnos 1944-45: 1-54. - Löwegren, Naturaliekabinett i Sverige under 1700-talet 400 \[index\]. 1952. - Kup, ed., Stud. Ethnogr. Uppsal. 27: i-xv, 1-181. 1967 (on his Sierra Leone journal 1795-1796). - Widstrand, Stud. Ethnogr. Uppsal. 27: xi-xv. 1967. - Coats, The plant hunters 26, 91, 247. 1969. #### Eponymy *Afzelia* J. F. Gmelin (1792, *nom. rej.); Afzelia* J. E. Smith (1798, *nom. cons.); Afzeliella* Gilg (1898). ### Publications ##### n.30. De vegetabilibus suecanis **Title** *De vegetabilibus suecanis* observationes et experimenta, quorum sectionis prioris partem primam consensu ampl. fac. phil. Ups. proponunt Adamus Afzelius... et Andr. Magn. Wadsberg... in Auditorio Gustaviano majori d. ii mart. ann. mdcclxxxv. Uppsala (Joh. Edman), 1785. Qu. †. **Abbreviated title**: *Veg. suec.* **Notes** *Publ*.: 11 Mar 1785 (date on which the thesis was defended), p. \[i-iv\], 1-36. *Copy*: GH. *Ref*.: BM 1: 14; Kew 1: 16; KR p. 6; PR 25. ##### n.31. Genera plantarum guineensium **Title** *Genera plantarum guineensium* revisa et aucta, quorum partem primam consensu exp. fac. med. ups. proponunt Adamus Afzelius,... et Nicol. Wilhelmus Elgenstierna,... in auditorio Gust. maj. die 9 junii 1804. Uppsala (Edmann) \[1804\]. Qu. †. **Abbreviated title**: *Gen. pl. guin.* **Notes** *Publ*.: 9 Jun 1804, p. \[i-iv\], \[1\]-26, \[2, expl. pl.\], *1 pl*. (affixed to title page). *Copies*: G(2), HU, L, MO, NY. *Ref*.: BM 1: 14; Kew 1: 17; KR p. 6 (no. 10); PR 27. ##### n.32. Remedia guineensia **Title** *Remedia guineensia*, quorum collectionem primum Cons. exp. Fac. Med. Ups. praeside Adamo Afzelio,... pro gradu medico p.p. Johannes Ulr. Nyberg, Holmiensis. In audit, botanico die xix maji mdcccxiii. Uppsala (Stenhammar et Palmblad) 1813. Qu. **Abbreviated title**: *Rem. guin.* **Notes** *Publ*.: In all ten dissertations (title of no. 1 above), nos. 1-7, Uppsala (Stenhammar et Palmblad), 8-10, id. (Zeipel et Palmblad). Nos. 1-9 to be attributed to Afzelius, no. 10 to the "auctor" (mentioned as such on t.p.) Gustavus Jacob. Örtenblad (1788-1837), see KR p. 6, 794. *Copy*: HU. |collect. |pages |date |resp.| |---|---|---|---| |1 |\[1\]-8 |19 Mai 1813 |J. U. Nyberg| |2 |\[1\], \[9\]-16 |22 Mai 1813 |J. J. Kallstenius| |3 |\[i-iii\], \[17\]-24 |6 Jun 1814 |P. Brandelius| |4 |\[i-ii\], \[25\]-32 |8 Feb 1815 (handwr.) |C. O. Bånge| | | |12 Dec 1814 (printed, canc.)| |5 |\[31\]-38, 1 *pl*. |8 Apr 1815 |O. Lindbom| |6 |\[i-iv\], \[39\]-46 |3 Mai 1815 |D. Ekelund| |7 |\[i-iv\], \[47\]-54 |3 Mai 1815 |J. A. Frestadius| |8 |\[i-iv\], \[55\]-62 |14 Jun 1815 |C. Hjorth| |9 |\[i-iv\], \[63\]-68 |13 Dec 1815 |C. A. Thelning| |10 |\[i\], \[69\]-78 |16 Apr 1817 |G. J. Örtenblad (author)| ##### n.33. Stirpium in Guinea medicinalium **Title** *Stirpium in Guinea medicinalium* species cognitae, quorum fasciculum primum venia exp. Fac. Med. Ups. praeside Adamo Afzelio,... pro gradu medico p.p. auctor Axelius Flygare... in audit, botanic, die xi Junii mdcccxvii. Uppsala (Zeipel et Palmblad) \[1817\]. Qu. **Abbreviated title**: *Stirp. Guinea med.* **Notes** *Fasc. 1* (as above): 11 Jun 1817 (t.p., also Svensk Lit.-Tidn. Jun 1817), p. \[i-iv\], \[1\]-8. *Copy*: HU. – To be attributed to the *auctor* Axel Flygare (1792-1833) rather than to Afzelius. (KR p. 6, 191.) *Fasc. 2*: 9 Dec 1825, p. \[i-ii\]. \[9\]-16. *Copy*: HU. – "... p.p. auctor Fredericus Ad. Alner ... in auditorio medico die ix decemb. mdcccxxv". Uppsala (Regio Academiae Typographi). *Author*: Fredric Adolph Alner (1795-1834), (KR p. 12, 29). ##### n.34. Reliquiae afzelianae **Title** *Reliquiae afzelianae*, sistentes icones fungorum, quos in Guinea collegit et in aere incisas excudi curavit Adamus Afzelius. Interpretatur E. Fries. Uppsala (Edquist soc.) 1860. Fol. **Abbreviated title**: *Reliq. afzel.* **Notes** *Publ*.: Dec 1860 or 1861? (p. ii: Cal. Dec 1860; Flora 21 Nov 1861, "neu erschienen"), p. \[i-vi\], *pl. 1-12* (30 species, text by Elias Magnus Fries) brown copper engravings. *Copies*: NY, Stevenson (2 copies). *Ref*.: BM 1: 14; Kew 1: 17; Kr p. 7; PR 32.