Biography

Swiss merchant from Moudon, Canton of Vaud who was based in Bahia, Brazil (1826-1856) and was appointed Swiss consul to Bahia. For two years he was also the interim Swiss and Neapolitan consul. He was a keen naturalist, interested both in icthyology and botany, and a prolific collector until forced to return to Switzerland because of ill-health. A local gaucho by the name of Manoel was employed by Blanchet to collect in Bahia in the Serra Jacobina, the Serra Assuruá and along the river São Francisco and also in other states of Brazil. It is not apparent which material was actually collected by Blanchet rather than by paid collectors. Genera named in his honour include Blanchetia DC. in the Asteraceae, Blanchetiastrum Hassl. in the Malvaceae and Blanchetiodendron Barneby & J.W. Grimes in the Mimosaceae. A great many Brazilian species bear his name including Oncidium blanchetii Rchb. f. His most important collections were purchased by S. Moricand and are now at G. Material at BM includes many isotypes and was mainly purchased from Blanchet (for example, 1836-1838) with additional specimens purchased as part of the herbarium of R.J. Shuttleworth (1877).

Biography

Swiss merchant from Moudon, Canton of Vaud who was based in Bahia, Brazil (1826-1856) and was appointed Swiss consul to Bahia. For two years he was also the interim Swiss and Neapolitan consul. He was a keen naturalist, interested both in icthyology and botany, and a prolific collector until forced to return to Switzerland because of ill-health. A local gaucho by the name of Manoel was employed by Blanchet to collect in Bahia in the Serra Jacobina, the Serra Assuruá and along the river São Francisco and also in other states of Brazil. It is not apparent which material was actually collected by Blanchet rather than by paid collectors. Genera named in his honour include Blanchetia DC. in the Asteraceae, Blanchetiastrum Hassl. in the Malvaceae and Blanchetiodendron Barneby & J.W. Grimes in the Mimosaceae. A great many Brazilian species bear his name including Oncidium blanchetii Rchb. f. His most important collections were purchased by S. Moricand and are now at G. Material at BM includes many isotypes and was mainly purchased from Blanchet (for example, 1836-1838) with additional specimens purchased as part of the herbarium of R.J. Shuttleworth (1877).

Biography

Swiss merchant from Moudon, Canton of Vaud who was based in Bahia, Brazil (1826-1856) and was appointed Swiss consul to Bahia. For two years he was also the interim Swiss and Neapolitan consul. He was a keen naturalist, interested both in icthyology and botany, and a prolific collector until forced to return to Switzerland because of ill-health. A local gaucho by the name of Manoel was employed by Blanchet to collect in Bahia in the Serra Jacobina, the Serra Assuruá and along the river São Francisco and also in other states of Brazil. It is not apparent which material was actually collected by Blanchet rather than by paid collectors. Genera named in his honour include Blanchetia DC. in the Asteraceae, Blanchetiastrum Hassl. in the Malvaceae and Blanchetiodendron Barneby & J.W. Grimes in the Mimosaceae. A great many Brazilian species bear his name including Oncidium blanchetii Rchb. f. His most important collections were purchased by S. Moricand and are now at G. Material at BM includes many isotypes and was mainly purchased from Blanchet (for example, 1836-1838) with additional specimens purchased as part of the herbarium of R.J. Shuttleworth (1877).