> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 141](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33259645) of TL-2 Suppl. VII > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/2689-1) LSID 2689-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8008992) QID Q8008992 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] > [!example] See also [[Ferguson, William|first entry]] for this author ### Author \* Ferguson, William (1820-1887), British surveyor and civil servant interested in botany and herpetology, born Jul 1820, went to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in the Civil Service 1839 where surveying work took him into unexplored forests where he collected plants and acquired a good knowledge of the flora and fauna, he was in contact with a.o. G.H.K. Thwaites and visited London to study specimens at the BMNH 1857, F.L.S. 1862, died 31 Jul 1887 in Colombo (buried in the "General Cemetary"). **Abbreviated name**: *Ferguson* \[standard form in IPNI: *Ferguson*\] #### Note Ferguson's brother, Alastair Mackenzie Ferguson (1816-1892), was editor and publisher of the *Ceylon Observer* \[newspaper\]. #### Herbarium and types [[Collection E|E]] (Alg., Bryoph.), [[Collection K|K]], [[Collection LD|LD]] (Pter.), [[Collection MANCH|MANCH]], [[Collection US|US]]. *Exsiccatae*: *Algae ceylonicae* (nos. 1-144/5)... 1850-1887, or later: [[Collection B|B]], [[Collection BM|BM]], [[Collection CGE|CGE]], [[Collection E|E]], [[Collection HBG|HBG]], [[Collection KIEL|KIEL]], [[Collection L|L]], [[Collection M|M]], [[Collection PC|PC]], [[Collection W|W]]. The determinations were by Albert Grunow (1826-1914, see TL-2/1: 1016), who also edited the series with Ferguson (see Sayre, G., 1969. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 19: 73). – Letters at Kew. #### Bibliography and biography APN p. 198; Backer p. 212; Barnhart 1: 536; BB p. 107; BM 2: 566; BN p. 173; Desmond p. 220, ed. 2: 244; DNB 6: 1220-1221, 18: 356-357, 19: 372-373; Hist. Coll. BMNH p. 148; IF suppl. 4: 354; IH 2: 194; Jackson p. 545 (index); Kew 2: 253; Kew List 23; Morren ed. 10: 145; PR ed. 2: 2871; Rehder 5(index): 275; TL-2/1: 825, 2/6: 896 (index); Tucker 1: 244; Urban-Berl. p. 264. #### Biofile - Anon., The Ceylon Observer \[newspaper\]: 1 Aug 1887 (partial bibl.); Nature 36: 430. 1887; Gard. Chron. ser. 3, 2: 312. 1887; Garden 32: 237. 10 Sep 1887; Proc. Linnean Soc. London 1887-1888: 89. 1890. (d. "1 Aug") - Adler, K. (ed.), 1989. Contr. hist. Herpetology: 153. - Balfour, I.B., 1888. Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 1: 403. (bibl.) - Boulger, G.S., 1900. *In*, H. Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 5: 375. - Burkill, I.H., 1965. Chapt. Hist. Bot. India: 238. (index) - Desmond, R., 1992. European discovery Indian flora: 345. (index) - Ferguson, W., 2001. Reptile fauna of Ceylon. Issued to Commemorate the Fourth World Congr. of Herpetology, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2-8 Dec 2001. (Intr. by K. Adler) (bibl., portr.) (n.v.) - Franks, J.W., 1973. Manchester Mus. Publ., new ser., no. NS.1.73: 3, 14. - Hedge, I.C. & J.M. Lamond (eds.), 1970. Index collectors Edinburgh Herb.: 79. - Hertel, H. & A. Schreiber, 1988. Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 26: 99. - Murray, G., 1887. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, 20: 21-44. \[Ceylon Alg. leg. WF\] - Schellenberg, G., 1921. Die Sammlungen des Kieler Universitätsherbars. Beih. Bot. Centralbl. 38, Abt. 2(3): 397. \[Algae\] - Tennent, J.E., 1859. Ceylon: an account of the island, physical, historical, and topographical with notices of its natural history, antiquities and productions, ed. 2, 1: xxvii, 83-124 (passim). - Todd, A.L., 2001. Bull. Hunt Inst. Bot. Doc. 13(2): 6. (portr.) - Trimen, H., 1887. J. Bot. 25: 320. #### Eponymy *Fergusonia* Hook. f. (1873). #### Composite works - (1) Collaborated with G. Thwaites, *Enum. Pl. zeyl.*... \[1858\]-1864, see TL-2/6, nr. 14.462. - (2) Notes on trees *in* Mudaliyar Mendis, *Timber trees of Ceylon*... Colombo (n.p.) 1881. ### Publications ##### n.34.288. Palmyra palm **Title** The *Palmyra palm*, Borassus flabelliformis: a popular description of the palm and its products, having special reference to Ceylon, with a valuable appendix, embracing extracts from nearly every author who has noticed the tree... Colombo (printed at the Observer Press) 1850. Qu. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1850, p. \[i\]-ii, \[1\]-52, \[1\]-39, *6 pl*. (1 fold., some col.). *Copy*: K (missing Aug 2007) (n.v.). *Ed*. 2: 1888 (being the second edition: "printed verbatim from the first (which appeared in 1850), save for the correcting of certain verbal errors"), p. \[i\]-ii, \[1\]-52, \[1\]-39, *6 pl. Copies*: HH, MO. *Note*: t.-p. "Illustrated by wood engravings (from David Roberts' *Oriental illustrations of the scriptures*)". ##### n.34.289. Ceylon ferns **Title** *Ceylon ferns*: and their *allies*, with familiar notes on each species... Colombo ("Ceylon Observer" Press) 1880. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: Dec 1880 (date on p. \[1\]), cover-t.p., t.p. (verso blank), p. \[1\]-68, \[i\]-iii \[=index\]. *Copies*: K, US. *Note*: "The M.S. of the Ferns proper of this list was finished on the 15th October, 1873, and was printed off as far as No. 153 before May 1875" (see p. \[1\]).