> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 954](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33190425) of TL-2 Vol. IV > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/8682-1) LSID 8682-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q748967) QID Q748967 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] ### Author Roxburgh, William (1751-1815), British (Scottish) botanist and physician; MD Edinburgh 1876; with the East India Company in the Madras Medical Service 1776-1780; superintendent Samalkot (Samul Cattah) botanic garden 1781-1793; superintendant of the Calcutta botanic garden 1793-1813; in London 1806-1813; travelled to the Cape of Good Hope (1798, 1799, 1813-1814) and St. Helena 1814; died at Edinburgh. **Abbreviated name**: *Roxb.* \[standard form in IPNI: *Roxb.*\] #### Herbarium and types Main collection at [[Collection K|K]] (mainly in the Wallich herbarium, originally at [[Collection LINN|LINN]]). "Roxburgh's practice seems to have been to distribute specimens he collected without keeping any significant personal herbarium. It thus frequently happened that specimens were later misidentified by him with species that he had described at an earlier date, he having kept no material for comparison" (Frances M. Jarret, personal communication). Considerable sets also [[Collection BM|BM]], [[Collection BR|BR]], [[Collection E|E]], [[Collection G|G]] and [[Collection LIV|LIV]]; small sets at [[Collection A|A]], [[Collection B|B]] (Willd.), [[Collection C|C]], [[Collection DBN|DBN]], [[Collection E|E]], [[Collection FI|FI]], [[Collection NY|NY]], [[Collection OXF|OXF]], [[Collection P|P]], [[Collection PH|PH]], [[Collection UPS|UPS]] (Thunb.), drawings at [[Collection CAL|CAL]], [[Collection BM|BM]] and [[Collection K|K]]. Manuscript of *Flora indica* with authograph notes by Roxburgh and Robert Brown at [[Collection BM|BM]]. For the Roxburgh *Flora indica* drawings at [[Collection K|K]], which are often of great importance for the typification of Roxburgh species, see Sealy (1957, 1975). For drawings at the India Office Library, see M. Archer (1962). – Letters at [[Collection BM|BM]] and [[Collection LINN|LINN]]. #### Bibliography and biography AG 3: 119; Backer p. 500 (epon.); Barnhart 3: 187 (b. 3 Jun 1751, d. 18 Feb 1815); BB p. 263; Blunt p. 166, 193, 264; BM 4: 1745; Bossert p. 341; Bret. p. 237-246, 1090; CSP 5: 314; Dawson p. 713-720, 954; Desmond p. 533; De Toni 2: cii; DNB 49: 368-370; Dryander 3: 130, 303, 497, 534, 625, 649, 652; DU 269; Frank 3 (Anh.): 86; GF p. 74; Henrey 2: 738 \[index\], 3: no. 1289; Herder p. 164, 212; Hortus 3: 1203; IF p. 727; IH 1 (ed. 2): 35, (ed. 3): 33, (ed. 6): 363, (ed. 7): 341; Jackson p. 353, 383, 384, 388, 451; Kew 4: 533; Lasègue p. 144-145, 581 \[index\] (Roxburgh Sr. did not collect in Malay Arch.); LS 23129; Moebius p. 421; MW p. 419; NI 1689; Plesch p. 390; PR 1247, 7831-7838, ed. 1: 618, 1383, 8785-8792; Rehder 5: 743; RS p. 138; SK 1: 450-451, xxxii, cxlvii, 4: clx, clxxi, cxxv, 5: ccx, ccxlv, ccxxxvii; SO 805a-c; Sotheby 665; TL-1/1115-1118; TL-2/378, 566, 3583; see W. Carey; Tucker 1: 611; Urban-Berl. p. 415; Zander ed. 10, p. 709, ed. 11, p. 809. #### Biofile - Allibone, S.A., Crit. dict. Engl. lit. 2: 1885. 1878. - Archer, M., Natural history drawings in the India office library, London 1962, p. 20-23, 65-66, 102. - Bridson, G.D.R. et al., Nat. hist. mss. res. Brit. Isl. 432 \[index\]. 1982. - Britten, J., J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 45: 47-48. 1920 (Cape coll.). - Burkill, I.H., Chapt. hist. bot. India 243 \[index\]. 1965. - Candolle, Alph. de, Phytographie 444-445. 1880 (coll.). - Coats, A.M., Gard. Chron. 160(20): 14. 1966 (portr.; on Henna and Frankincense); Quest for plants 148-149. 1969; Plant hunters 148-149, 150, *pl. 15.* 1969. - Dawson, W.R., Smith papers 83-84. 1935. - Gager, C.S., Brooklyn Bot. Gard. Rec. 27(3): 260. 1938. - Gunn, M. & L.E. Codd, Bot. Expl. S. Afr. 303. 1981. - Hall, N., Bot. Eucalypts 111. 1978. - Hara, H., Fl. Eastern Himalaya 674. 1966 (on Pl. Coromandel). - Holttum, R., Taxon 19: 708. 1970. - Huxley, L., Life letters J.D. Hooker 1: 473, 2: 181, 183. 1918. - Jessen, K.F.W., Bot. Gegenw. Vorz. 2, 469. 1864. - Karegeannes, C., Begonian 46: 261, 280. 1979 (R. as chronicler of Indian Begonias). - Ker, J.B., *Crinum* 1817, 16 p. (several nomina nuda in *Hort, bengal*. 1814 validated). - King, G., J. Bot. 37: 457-458. 1899; Ann. r. bot. Gard. Calcutta 5: 1-9. 1895 (portr., memoir, bibl.). - Kuntze, O., Rev. gen. pl. 1: cxli. 1891. - Lemmon, K., Golden age plant hunters 74, 118. 1968. - Lyte, C., Sir Joseph Banks 176. 1980. - Mabberley, D.J., Taxon 26: 523-524. 1977 (Fl. ind. ed. 1832, vol. 1, publ. 14 Jan 1832), 31: 65-66. 1982 (*Swietenia febrifuga*). - Merrill, E.D., Taxon 1: 124-125. 1952 (on "Hamou" and "Romoa" in FI. indica errors for Honimoa); Chron Bot. 14(56): 171, 198, 220, 237, 294, 348. 1954 (botany Cook's Voy.). - Miller, H.S., Taxon 19: 538. 1970 (Roxburgh specimens from Lambert sale at G). - Morton, C.V. (D.B. Lellinger ed.), Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb. 38: 283-396. 1974 (W. Roxburgh's fern types). - Murray, G., Hist. coll. BM(NH) 1: 178. 1904. - Pillery, G., Investigations on Cetacea 9: 11-21. 1981 (on W. Roxburgh and M. J. Lebeck on Cetaceae). - Poggendorff, J.C., Biogr.-lit. Handw.-Buch 2: 708. 1863. - R.A.R., Gard. Chron. 1896(1): 781-782. - Rix, M., The art of the botanist 97, 107, 108, 113, 182. 1981. - Sealy, J.R., Kew Bull. n: 297-399. 1951, Endeavour 34: 84-89. 1975 (on R's collection of drawings of Indian plants at Kew; Kew Bull. paper has list of holdings). - Sen, J., Nature 207: 1234-1235. 1965. - Smith, E., Life Joseph Banks xi, 114-116, 118. 1911. - Stafleu, F.A., in G.S. Daniels & F.A. Stafleu, Taxon 23(1): 52. 1974 (portr.). - Stansfield, H., Handb. guide herb. coll. Liverpool 41, 44, 46, 47. 1935 (portr., coll.). - Stearn, W.T., Roy. Hort. Soc, Exhib. manuscr. books 33-34. 1954 (*PL Coromandel*). - Steenis-Krusemann, M. J. von, Fl. males. Bull. 24: 1801. 1970, 26: 2018. 1972 (Pl. Coromandel). - Verdoorn, F., ed., Chron. bot. 1: 206. 1935, 4: 154. 1938, 5: 116. 1939. - White, A. & B.L. Sloane, The Stapelieae ed. 1: 16, 20, 48, 52, 53. 1933, ed. 2: 21 \[index\]. 1937. - Wight, R., *in* W.J. Hooker, Bot. Misc. 2: 90-91, 95. 1831. - Thomson, T., *in* W.J. Hooker J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 9: 11-12. 1837. - Wood, D., Notes R. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 29: 211-212. 1969 (dates parts 1-4 of vol. 3, Pl. Coromandel). - Woodward, B.B., Hist. coll. BM(NH) 1: 46. 1904 (mss. copy Flora indica; index to his botanical mss., 36 water colour drawings). #### Composite works *An alphabetical list of plants*, seen by Dr. Roxburgh growing in the Island of St. Helena, in 1813-14, *in* A. Beatson, *Tracts St. Helena.* Jan 1816, p. 293ff. See TL-2/378, *copies*: GOET (inf. G. Wagenitz), LC. #### Handwriting Webbia 32(1): 14. 1977; Fl. males. 1: cli. #### Note James Roxburgh (1802-1884) and his brother Bruce R.(1797-1861), sons of William Roxburgh were responsible for the publication of the *Flora indica*. The preface to the 1832 edition is signed by James Roxburgh. A third son, John Roxburgh (*fl*. 1777-1824) collected at the Cape (1798-1804), see Desmond p. 533, M. Gunn & L.E. Codd, Bot. Expl. S. Afr. 302 (1981); J. Britten, J. Bot. 56: 202-203. 1918 (denying John's existence), D. Prain, J. Bot. 57: 28-34. 1919 (showing that John Roxburgh did exist) and Dawson 713 (two letters by John R. to Joseph Banks). William Roxburgh Jr. (*fl*. 1780-1806) collected in India and the Malay Archipelago. #### Eponymy *Roxburghia* W. Jones ex Roxburgh (1795). ### Publications ##### n.9719. A botanical description of a new species of Swietenia **Title** *A botanical description of a new species of Swietenia* (Mahogony), with experiments and observations on the bark thereof, in order to determine and compare its powers with those of Peruvian bark, for which it is proposed as a substitute. Addressed to the honourable Court of directors of the United East-India Company, by their most obedient, humble servant, Wm. Roxburgh. s.l.n.d. \[1793\]. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1793 (in journal), p. \[i\], \[1\]-24. *Copy*: Natl. Libr. Scotland. – Reprinted from Medical facts and observations 6: 127-153. 1793 (journal at LCI. ##### n.9720. Plants of the Coast of Coromandel **Title** *Plants of the Coast of Coromandel*; selected from drawings and descriptions presented to the hon. court of directors of the East India Company, by William Roxburgh, M.D. Published by their order, under the direction of Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. P.R.S.... London (printed by W. Bulmer and Co....) 3 vols. 1795-1820; broadsheet. **Abbreviated title**: *Pl. Coromandel*. **Notes** *1*: 1795-1798, p. \[i\*, t.p.\], \[i\]-vi, colums \[1\]-68, indexes p. \[1-2\], *pl. 1-100* (on *pl. 1*: Mackenzie omnes fecit). *2*: 1799 (t.p.: 1798)-1805, p. \[i-iv\], columns \[1\]-56, *pl. 101-200.* *3*: 1811-1820(t.p. 1819), p. \[i-iv\], colums \[1\]-98, *pl. 201-300.* *Copies*: BM, BR, NY, Teyler, U, USDA; IDC 5228. – The plates are line and stipple copper engravings, coloured by hand, engraved (nos. 1-250) by D. Mackenzie and (251-300), by J. Girlin, E.S. Weddell or R.B. Peake, after drawings made by various Indian artists. For original drawings see above under "Herbarium and types" and see e.g. M. Archer (1962), copies at K. – For dates see e.g. v. Steenis-Kruseman (SK), D. Wood, RS, and TL-1; for a collation see Sotheby 665. |vol. |& part |pages |plates |dates| |--- |--- |--- |--- |--- | |1 |(1) |1-28 |1-25 |Mai 1795| | |(2) |29-40 |26-50 |Nov 1795| | |(3) |41-56 |51-75 |Aug 1796| | |(4) |57-68 |76-100 |Jan-Mar 1798| |2 |(1)(5) |1-16 |101-125 |Mai 1799| | |(2)(6) |17-28 |126-150 |Mai 1800| | |(3)(7) |29-40 |151-175 |Apr 1802| | |(4)(8) |41-56 |176-200 |Mai 1805| |3 |(1)(9) |1-20 |201-225 |Jul 1811| | |(2)(10) |21-44 |226-250 |Mai 1815| | |(3)(11) |45-72 |251-275 |18 Feb 1820| | |(4)(12) |73-98 |276-300 |18 Feb 1820| *Ref*.: Anon., Flora 6(2): 465-477, 481-492. 1823 (rev. vol. 3). - Desmond, R., Hortulus aliquando 2: 22-41. 1977. - Wood, D., Notes R. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 29(2): 211-212. 1969. - *Facsimile ed*.: 1982, Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun, 1982 (vol. 2 seen). ##### n.9721. Hortus bengalensis **Title** *Hortus bengalensis*, or a catalogue of the plants growing in the honourable East India Company's Botanic Garden at Calcutta. Serampore (printed at the Mission Press) 1814, sign. of 4 p. **Abbreviated title**: *Hort. bengal.* **Notes** *Publ*.: Jun-Dec 1814 (p. xii: 4 Jun 1814), p.\[i\]-v, \[i\]-xii, \[1\]-104, \[105\]. *Copies*: G, HH, NY, PH; IDC 5696. *Facsimile ed*.: 1980, ISBN 90.70153.15.7, Boerhaave Press (p.o. Box 1051, Leiden. 2302 BB, Holland), p. \[i\*-ii\*, new t.p. and colo.\], followed by facsimile. *Copy*: FAS. *Notes*: on p. 77-105 "A catalogue of plants..." dated 1813. The actual date 1814 applies to the entire book. See Robinson for a list of names that are validly published in this work. Most names are nomina nuda, but several specific epithets are validly published by means of references to other publications. Several of the nomina nuda were validated by description in G. Don's *General system* (see Sprague (1925) for a list). *Index*: A holograph *index* to *Hort, bengal*., written by Bernard M'Mahon, is at PH (fide J. Ewan et J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 3: *pl. 3.* 1960. *Ref*.: SK p. ccx (v. Steenis). - Alston, I.A.H.G., Ann. Roy. Bot. Garden Peradeniya 11: 299-300. 1930. - Kuntze, O., Rev. gen. cxli. 1891. - Robinson, C.B., Philip. Journ. Sci. & C. Bot. 7: 411-419. 1912. - Sprague, T.A., Bull. misc. Inf. Kew 1925: 312-314. ##### n.9722. Observations of the late Dr. William Roxburgh **Title** *Observations of the late Dr. William Roxburgh*, botanical superintendant of the honourable East India Company's garden at Calcutta, *on the various specimens of fibrous vegetables*, the produce of India, which may prove valuable substitutes for Hemp and Flax, on some future day, in Europe. Edited by a friend, to whom he transmitted them from St. Helena, during his illness; and now published at the expence of the East India Company, for the information of the residents, and the benefit that may arise therefrom throughout the settlements in India. London (printed by J. Darling,...) 1815. **Abbreviated title**: *Observ. fibrous veg.* **Notes** *Publ*.: 1815, p. \[1\]-78. *Copy*: FI. ##### n.9723. An alphabetical list of plants **Title** Appendix. *An alphabetical list of plants*, seen by Dr. Roxburgh growing on the Island *of St. Helena*, in 1813-1814. \[*in* Alexander Beatson, Tracts relative to the Island of St Helena;... London (printed by W. Bulmer and Co.,...) 1816, p. 293-326\]. Qu. **Notes** *Publ*.: 1816, p. \[293: 1-326, as above. *Copy*: LC. – We have seen no independent reprint. *Amended version*: in F. Antommarchi, Derniers moments de Napoléon, 2: \[2551-425. 1825 \[*copy* at BR\], *Esquisse de la flore de Sainte-Hélène*; see also Alexander Watson, *Flora Sta. Helenica* 1825. ##### n.9724. Flora indica **Title** *Flora indica*; or descriptions of Indian plants, by the late William Roxburgh,... edited by William Carey, D.D. to which are added descriptions of plants more recently discovered by Nathaniel Wallich,... Serampore (printed at the Mission Press) 1820-1824, 2 vols. Oct. (in fours). †. **Abbreviated title**: *Fl. ind.* **Notes** *Annotations and additions*: Nathaniel Wallich (1786-1854); editor: William Carey (1761-1834). *1*: 1820 (prob. Jan-Jun), p. \[1\]-7, \[1\]-493. *2*: 1824 (prob. Mar-Jun, p. v: Mar 1824), p. \[i\]-v, \[1\]-588. *Copies*: G, HH, MO, NY, PH, USDA; IDC 300. *Facsimile ed*.: 1975, New York (Oriole Editions), 2 vols., ISBN 0-882-1177-2, with an introduction by D.H. Nicolson. *1*: \[i\]-ix, and facsimile, *2*: \[i\*-iv\*\], and facsimile. *Copies*: FAS, MO. *Note*: This first edition contains only part of the material in the original manuscript (published in 1832, see below), but was in some places quite heavily annotated by N. Wallich who included many new taxa based on material collected by himself. The new Roxburgh taxa are marked "R", those of Wallich "Wall.". The latter's notes are signed N.W. The first edition ("Carey/Wallich ed.") remained unfinished (ends with *Posoqueria*, Pent. Monog.); the same coverage (excluding Wallich's notes and taxa) forms vol. 1 of ed. 2, 1832. (Inf. D.H. Nicolson). *Ref*.: Kuntze, O., Rev. gen. pl. 1: cxli. 1891. - Stafleu, F.A., Taxon 24: 685-686. 1975. ##### n.9725. Flora indica **Title** *Flora indica*; or, descriptions of Indian plants. By the late William Roxburgh,... Serampore (printed for W. Thacker and Co. Calcutta and Parbury, Allen and Co. London) 1832, 3 vols. Oct. †. **Abbreviated title**: *Fl. ind. ed. 1832*. **Notes** *Editor*: William Carey (1761-1834). *1*: 14 Jan 1832, (Review in J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 1(4): 131-139. Apr 1832; see Mabberley 1977), p. \[i-vii\], \[1\]-741. *2*: 1832, p. \[i\]-vi, \[1\]-691. *3*: Oct-Dec 1832 (p. vi: 7 Sep 1832), p. \[i\]-vm, \[1\]-875, err. slip. *Copies*: G, HH, M, MO, NY, PH, U, USDA; IDC 5697. *4*: Jan 1844 (cryptogams), edited by William Griffith (1810-1845), Calcutta, s.d., p. \[1\], \[1\]-58, \[i\]-ii. *Copies*: E, HH. – Reprinted with independent pagination from Calcutta J. nat. Hist. 4: 463-520. Jan 1844. *Note*: "The present edition \["Carey ed."\] of the Flora, to be completed in four \[sic\] volumes, will... consist of the Mss. left with me by the late Dr. Roxburgh, without any addition". The additions in ed. 1 (see above) were the "invaluable notes and additions of Dr Wallich which Roxburgh's heirs "did not consider themselves at liberty to make use of without the permission of that eminent botanist". \[Carey, in advertisement preceding vol. 1\]. This edition is complete but excludes the Wallich notes and new taxa of ed. I. All Roxburgh taxa in vol. 1 were previously published in ed. 1, 1820-1824. *Reprint* ("literatim"): 1874, p. \[i\*-iii\*\], \[i\]-vi, \[vii\], \[1\]-763, \[i\]-lxiv. *Copies*: BR, FI, MICH, MO, USDA. – Preface by Charles Baron Clarke 81832-1906) on p. \[i\]-vi. – The reprint includes the Roxburgh cryptogams as published by Griffith in Calcutta J. nat. Hist. 4: 463-520. 1844. – The MO copy has a cutting from a Madras Newspaper of 21 Mar 1896, reviewing G. King's tribute to Roxburgh of 1895, signed "Englishman". *Reprint*: 1971 (n.v.) New Delhi. *Ref*.: Anon., J. Asiat. Soc, Bengal. 1(4): 131-139. Apr 1832 (review of vols. 1-3; however, vol. 3 has a preface dated 7 Sep 1832).