18 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



of the plants dealt with had been described years before by other 

 authors, sometimes under the same names but usuallj'^ not. Aside 

 from the sentimental interest that was gratified by the publication 

 of the manuscripts, it is a matter of regi-et that botanical nomen- 

 clature was further taxed with so many useless synonyms. Indeed, 

 but little attention has ever been paid by botanists to the numerous 

 new names recorded in these two works. 



ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



Alexander, Baron von Humboldt, one of the most illustrious men 

 of his period, was born in Berlin in 1769. He was granted permis- 

 sion by the court of Spain to explore the Spanish possessions in 

 America, and in 1799, in company with Aimee Bonpland, he sailed 

 from Coruna. He landed at Cumana, Venezuela, and starting from 

 that point he explored New Andalusia (Venezuela) and Spanish 

 Guiana. Thence he went to Cuba, and later to other parts of South 

 America. In March, 1803, he landed at Acapulco, and followed the 

 usual route of that day to the capital, where he made the acquaintance 

 of Cervantes, Cal, Alzate, and many other scientists. He explored 

 thoroughly the Valley of Mexico, and made collections also in 

 Hidalgo, Queretaro, Guanajuato, Puebla, Jalisco, Michoacan, Gue- 

 rrero, and other regions. Altogether, ten months were spent in Mex- 

 ico, and in 1804 Humboldt and Bonpland returned to Paris, where 

 the former remained for many years. He died in Berlin in 1850. 



The rich material obtained by the expedition was sufficient to 

 occupy the many years which Humboldt devoted to scientific study. 

 The botanical collections w^ere gathered chiefly by Bonpland. but 

 the senior member of the expedition made extensive observations 

 upon vegetation w^hich served as the basis for classic works upon 

 phytogeography. The Mexican collections included about 950 spe- 

 cies, a large proportion of which were described as new. Along with 

 the material from other regions they were turned over to Ivunth,"who 

 published seven volumes describing them.^ Ilumboldt and Bon- 

 pland also published jointly two large volumes dealing with some of 

 the most interesting of their disco veries.^ So far as modern botanical 



* Nova genera et species plantarum quas in peregrinatione ad plagam aequinoc- 



tialoin orbis novi colle.uerunt, descriiiserunt. partira adinnbraverunt Amat. Bon- 

 pland et Alex, de Humboldt. Ex seliedis autograpbis Aniati Bonpland in 

 ordineui digessit Carolus Siogesnumd Kuntb. Accedunt Alexandri de Hum- 

 boldt notatioiies ad geograpbiam plantarum spectantes. "Vols. 1-7. pi. 1-700. 

 Paris, 18ir)-1825. 



"I'lantae aecpiinoctialos, per regnum IMexici in provinciis Caracarum et Novae 

 Andalusiae, in Peruvianorum, Quitensium, Novae Granatae Andibus, ad Oronoci, 

 Fluvii nigri, (luminis Amazonum ripas nasceutes. In ordinem digessit Aniatus 

 Bonpland. Vote. 1, 2. pi. J-1J,3. Paris, 1808-1809. 



