William Bartram
William Bartram (born April 20, 1739 in Kingsessing (now part of Philadelphia ), Province of Pennsylvania , † July 22, 1823 ibid) was an American naturalist. Its official botanical author's abbreviation is " W.Bartram ".
Life
William Bartram was the son of John Bartram . He accompanied his father on many of his trips to the Catskill Mountains and Florida . From a young age he was known for the quality of the drawings he made of his father's collectibles. He also worked more and more in the care of his father's show garden and contributed a number of rare plants.
In 1773 he set out on a four-year journey through eight southern colonies alone. He made many drawings and notes about the flora and fauna indigenous there and about the Indians. Another expedition through Florida , Georgia and the Carolinas dragged on for much of the 1780s. On this trip he compiled the most complete list of American birds at the time .
Upon his return, Bartram published his journal in 1791 under the title Travels in North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, Cherokee Land, etc. It was considered the leading work on American natural history at the time. In addition to its contributions to scientific knowledge, the work is famous for its accurate descriptions of the American landscape. It influenced many romantic writers of the time: William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge are known to read the book, and his influence can be felt in much of their works.
In 1802 Bartram met the teacher Alexander Wilson and taught him the basics of ornithology . Wilson's American ornithology has many references to Bartram and the area around Bartram's gardens.
Bartram spent most of the last decades of his life quietly working in his house and garden in Kingsessing. He turned down various offers to teach botany , as well as the offer to take part in the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804 to 1806). He was an elected member of the American Philosophical Society .
He died in his home at the age of 84.
Taxa named after Bartram
In his honor the genera Bartramia and Bartramidula were named, both of which come from the plant family of the Bartramiaceae .
Web links
- Author entry and list of the described plant names for William Bartram at the IPNI
- Travels Through North & South Carolina ... (E-Text, English)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Bartram, William |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American naturalist |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 20, 1739 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Kingsessing |
| DATE OF DEATH | July 22, 1823 |
| Place of death | Kingsessing |