DAVID BURKE. 



COLLEOTOE IN THE EAST INDIES, BURMAH AND COLOMBIA. 



18811897. 



THIS traveller crossed a greater area of the earth's surface 

 and covered more miles in search of plants than any other 

 Veitchian collector, with the possible exception of the two 

 brothers Lobb. . 



Born in Kent in 1854, Burke entered the houses at Chelsea 

 as a young gardener, and, having a wish to travel, was sent 

 on a trial trip to Borneo with Curtis, and brought home a 

 collection of plants, the result of their joint work. 



His next mission, commenced in 1881, was to British 

 Guiana, where he re-discovered the interesting insectivorous 

 plant Heliamphora nutans, which had not been seen since 

 its discovery on Mount Roraima in 1839 by the two brothers 

 Schomburgk, and successfully introduced it to England. 

 Amongst Orchids from British Guiana was the rare Zygo- 

 petalum Burkei which perpetuates his name, and from that 

 country he also sent the handsome Amasonia punicea 

 (calycina), the brilliant scarlet bracts of which are so effective 

 in stoves during the winter months. 



Subsequent journeys included two to the Philippine Islands 

 for Phalsenopsis, two to New Guinea, and one in 1891 to the 

 then newly annexed provinces of Upper Burmah for Orchids. 

 During the years 1894 to 1896 he made three trips to 



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