Plant Hunters: David Douglas

 Plant hunting, or plant collecting, refers to the acquisition of plant specimens for research, cultivation, or as a hobby. Chinese botanists collected roses over 5000 years ago, Egyptian botanists collected incense trees from Somalia 3500 years ago, and Europeans scoured the globe in colonial times to collect plants for research and gardens. During our Plants on the Move theme (2014), we learned about several Carl Linnaeus Apostles who explored the world in the 1700s, collecting botanical specimens, and categorizing and naming them using the binomial system. This year I'm interested in learning about several plant hunters that collected, or are collecting, in the Western United States.

David Douglas (1799 - 1834) - Plant Hunter

David Douglas (1799-1834) was a Scottish botanist who collected in the Pacific Northwest, Northern California, and Hawaii. He started as a gardener apprentice in Scotland and was recommended to accompany a local expedition to gather plants. Though a shy and quiet person, he was found to be an ardent and skilled plant collector. For this he was recommended for several expeditions to North America: 1823, 1824-1827, and 1829-1833. The documentary, Finding David Douglas tells the story of his life, and tragic death at age 35.

Douglas' second excursion to the Pacific Northwest was his most successful (1829-1833). He introduced 240 species of plants to England, including many coniferous trees that changed the British landscape and timber industry. He is the namesake for Douglas Fir, the common name for Pseudotsuga menziesii. Plant names (and a few animal names) that include douglasii or a variation honor Douglas, such as Artemisia douglasii, Iris douglasiana, Lotus douglasii, Phlox douglasii, Quercus douglasii, and Viola douglasii.

Unfortunately his plant collection and journals from his time in Northern California were lost to a river accident, but some information was preserved by way of letters he wrote to his brother. The Death Valley Day's episode, The Grass Man (available through IMDB, with log on) may capture the flavor of his life during this period. I also appreciated reading through his journals, plant lists, and papers for a first-hand glimpse into the man, his work, and the times (you can download his papers in PDF format). He faced many hardships in his quest for plants but remained steadfast and enthusiastic for his mission.

Learn More:

• David Douglas (Botanist) - an overview of Douglas' life.

• Journal Kept By David Douglas (1823 - 1827) - a collection of journals, a memoir, papers, plants, and an account of his death. 

• Finding David Douglas - documentary film that tells the story of his life and achievements (embedded above).