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Sinclair, Andrew (1794-1861)

Date Updated: 19 April 2013

Herbarium
Natural History Museum (BM)
Collection
Plant Collectors
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Contributor
Natural History Museum (BM)
First name(s)
Andrew
Last name
Sinclair
Initials
A.
Life Dates
1794 - 1861
Collecting Dates
1823 - 1861
Specification
Plant collector
Groups collected
Algae Bryophytes Fungi Pteridophytes Spermatophytes
Organisation(s)
BM (main), K (main), B, CGE, DPU (currently NY), E, FFR (currently MSE), FI, G, GH, GL, M, MANCH, MEDEL, MO, MSE, NY, OXF, P, SYD, W
Countries
Australasia: Australia, New Caledonia, New ZealandTropical South America: Colombia, EcuadorCentral American Continent: Mexico, Nicaragua, PanamaNorth American region: United StatesEurope: United Kingdom
Associate(s)
Barclay, George W. (fl. 1833-1842) (co-collector)
Beechey, Frederick William (1796-1856) (captain)
Haast, Johann Franz Julius von (1824-1887) (co-collector)
Hinds, Richard Brinsley (1812-1847) (co-collector)
Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1817-1911)
Hooker, William Jackson (1785-1865) (specimens to)
Bolton, Daniel (1793-1860) (co-collector)
Monro, Claude Frederick Hugh (1863-1918) (co-collector)
Biography
Scottish naval surgeon and naturalist who served on HMS Sulphur (1834-1839) under F.W. Beechey during the survey of the Pacific coasts of North and South America, until he was invalided home. Sinclair later served on a convict ship to Australia (1842) and reluctantly became Colonial Secretary of New Zealand (1844-1856). After retirement he returned to Britain, where he met C.R. Darwin and R. Owen. J.D. Hooker persuaded him to return to New Zealand to collect for him (1858) and his final expedition was with J.F.J. Haast, but he was drowned crossing the Rangitata river at the age of 67. The genus Sinclairia Hook. & Arn. was named after him, as were many species including Haastia sinclairii Hook. f. in the Asteraceae. Both zoological and botanical specimens were sent to BM from as early as 1823. Much original cryptogam material sent to K was later transferred to BM under the terms of the Morton Agreement after 1960.
References
Brummitt, R.K. & Powell, C.E., Authors Pl. Names (1992): 595; Desmond, R., Dict. Brit. Irish Bot. Hortic., ed. 2 (1994): 629; Holmgren, P., Holmgren, N.H. & Barnett, L.C., Index Herb., ed. 8 (1990): 288; Jackson, B.D., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1901): 60; Kent, D.H. & Allen, D.E., Brit. Irish Herb. (1984): 244; Vegter, H.I., Index Herb. Coll. S (1986): 898;

Date Updated: 19 April 2013

Herbarium
Natural History Museum (BM)
Collection
Plant Collectors
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Contributor
Natural History Museum (BM)
First name(s)
Andrew
Last name
Sinclair
Initials
A.
Life Dates
1794 - 1861
Collecting Dates
1823 - 1861
Specification
Plant collector
Groups collected
Algae Bryophytes Fungi Pteridophytes Spermatophytes
Organisation(s)
BM (main), K (main), B, CGE, DPU (currently NY), E, FFR (currently MSE), FI, G, GH, GL, M, MANCH, MEDEL, MO, MSE, NY, OXF, P, SYD, W
Countries
Australasia: Australia, New Caledonia, New ZealandTropical South America: Colombia, EcuadorCentral American Continent: Mexico, Nicaragua, PanamaNorth American region: United StatesEurope: United Kingdom
Associate(s)
Barclay, George W. (fl. 1833-1842) (co-collector)
Beechey, Frederick William (1796-1856) (captain)
Haast, Johann Franz Julius von (1824-1887) (co-collector)
Hinds, Richard Brinsley (1812-1847) (co-collector)
Hooker, Joseph Dalton (1817-1911)
Hooker, William Jackson (1785-1865) (specimens to)
Bolton, Daniel (1793-1860) (co-collector)
Monro, Claude Frederick Hugh (1863-1918) (co-collector)
Biography
Scottish naval surgeon and naturalist who served on HMS Sulphur (1834-1839) under F.W. Beechey during the survey of the Pacific coasts of North and South America, until he was invalided home. Sinclair later served on a convict ship to Australia (1842) and reluctantly became Colonial Secretary of New Zealand (1844-1856). After retirement he returned to Britain, where he met C.R. Darwin and R. Owen. J.D. Hooker persuaded him to return to New Zealand to collect for him (1858) and his final expedition was with J.F.J. Haast, but he was drowned crossing the Rangitata river at the age of 67. The genus Sinclairia Hook. & Arn. was named after him, as were many species including Haastia sinclairii Hook. f. in the Asteraceae. Both zoological and botanical specimens were sent to BM from as early as 1823. Much original cryptogam material sent to K was later transferred to BM under the terms of the Morton Agreement after 1960.
References
Brummitt, R.K. & Powell, C.E., Authors Pl. Names (1992): 595; Desmond, R., Dict. Brit. Irish Bot. Hortic., ed. 2 (1994): 629; Holmgren, P., Holmgren, N.H. & Barnett, L.C., Index Herb., ed. 8 (1990): 288; Jackson, B.D., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1901): 60; Kent, D.H. & Allen, D.E., Brit. Irish Herb. (1984): 244; Vegter, H.I., Index Herb. Coll. S (1986): 898;
Sinclair, Andrew (1794-1861)
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