Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Boerlage, Jacob Gijsbert

 

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

 

Born: 1849, Uithoorn N.H., Holland. Died: Aug. 25, 1900, Ternate, Moluccas.

 

career:

Teacher in Natural History from 1876-80, Custodian of the Leiden Herbarium (Rijksherbarium) 1881-96 (since 1894 Asst Director and University Lecturer); he was the first to be granted the Buitenzorg Fund, for which he travelled to Java in 1888. His special object was to compose a list of plants, on behalf of which he collected specially in the environs of Buitenzorg; following his departure, the collecting of plants was continued for another 8 months.1 In 1896 he was appointed Asst Director of the Garden and Chief of the first division (Herbarium) of the Botanic Gardens, Buitenzorg. He died during a tour with J.J. Smith to the Moluccas, made with the intention to identify Rumphius’s plants.

He is the author of several botanical papers.2

He is commemorated in the genus Boerlagea Cogn. etc.

 

Collecting localities:

1888. W. Java: arrival at Buitenzorg (Apr. 14); environs of Buitenzorg, e.g. Tjiomas, Kota Batoe; a fortnight at Tjibodas, e.g. on Geger Bintang; Wijnkoopsbaai (Pelaboean Ratoe) (July 4); environs of Bandoeng (G. Tangkoeban Prahoe) and Garoet (Telaga-Bodas); G. Papandajan (± July 13); Aug. 4 sailing for Holland.-1896. Krakatau, Lang Eiland3 and P. Leiden (Bay of Batavia) (Sept. 29).-1897. W. Java: Tjibodas; Islands in Soenda Straits with Treub, Penzig and others (March 16-18) : P. Babi, P. Merak, Krakatau, Lang Eiland, Verlaten Eiland.-1898-99. W. Java: Tjibodas.-1900. Tour to the Moluccas with J.J. Smith.4 Ambon (arrival on July 3), making small trips in Leytimor; G. Sirimau and G. Horiel (July 6); G. Nona (7), Waai (10); ascent of the Hoetoe Mortetoe (10-11); to Hitoe and Hitoe Lama (16); G. Toena (17-18); Asiloeloe and Alang (20-21); ascent of the Latoea (23-25; the first ascent by a naturalist); Hina Niwel (26); back at Ambon (27), having to contend with illness; trip to Halong and Batoe Gantoeng; departing on Aug. 11; Boeroe: Kajeli (12); Batjan (13); Ternate (14). In the latter island Boerlage fell seriously ill and subsequently died; further data on the tour cf. sub J.J. Smith.

 

collections:

Collection 1888 in Herb. Leiden [L]: 250 species from Buitenzorg, 170 Wijnkoopsbaai, 100 Tangkoeban Prahoe, 100 G. Papandajan, 100 Telaga Bodas (also material in spirit); later collections in Herb. Bog. [BO] and Herb. Leiden [L]. The Lang Eiland collection (1896) consists of not yet a 100 species; the collection Boerlage & Smith from the Moluccas amounts to 710 nos. Herb. Kol. (= Ind.) Inst. Amsterdam: 21 plants of the D.E.I. (pres. 1891/92).

 

literature:

(1) cf. Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit. 45, 1935, p. 63-64; Versl. Pl. Tuin Buitenzorg for 1888, p. 18.

(2) ‘Uitheemsche planten om Buitenzorg verwilderd’ (Hand. 2e Nat. Geneesk. Congr. Leiden 1889, p. 146-150); ‘Handleiding tot de kennis der flora van Nederlandsch Indë’ (1890-1900, 3 vols); a catalogue of the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden (2 parts, 1899-1901); several small papers; the Annonaceae of the Botanic Garden in Icon. Bogor.; cf. also Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit. 45, 1935, p. 63, 72-73, 93, 103.

(3) cf. ‘The trip of Boerlage to Lang Eiland in September 1896’ (chapt. V in Backer, The problem of Krakatoa as seen by a botanist, 1929, p. 84-87).

(4) cf. Reisverslag (travel account) in Versl. Pl. Tuin Buitenzorg for 1900, 1901, p. 101-107.

 

biographical data:

Versl. Pl. Tuin Buitenzorg for 1900, 1901, p. 17-24; Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 3rd set. vol. 2, 1901, p. 404-414; Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 60, 1901, p. 396-412; Encyclop. N.I. 1, 1917; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936; Portr. in album of the ‘Ned. Bot. Vereeniging’ (Leiden) no I.