Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Radermacher, Jacobus Cornelis Mattheus

 

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

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 5: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement I)

 

Born: 1741, The Hague, Holland. Died: 1783, o/b from Batavia to Holland, murdered by a sailor.

 

career:

Came out to the D.E.I. in the service of the E.I.C. in 1758; in 1762 Chief Merchant. The next year he departed to Holland to continue his studies, and graduated in Law at Harderwijk. In 1767 he returned to Java, successively filling many offices, finally elected member of the ‘Road van Indië’. In his capacity as commissary of the Batavian Highlands, he made some tours of inspection in Java.

In 1778 he founded the Batavian Society of Arts and Sciences in the proceedings of which society he published many descriptions of the Malay Archipelago, evidently compiled from literature. He is the author of a nomenclator on the flora of Java.1

He is commemorated in the genera Radermachia Steud., Radermachera Zoll. & Moritzi and Radermachia Thunb.

 

Collecting localities:2

W. Java. 1776. From Batavia (Aug. 1) via Tjibinoeng to Krawang, Klappa Noengal (bird cave, Aug. 24), Buitenzorg, Pondok Gedeh, Tjipanas, Pondok Gedeh and back at Batavia (31).-1777. From Batavia (Nov. 5) to Buitenzorg, Pondok Gedeh, Tjisaroea, Megamendoeng (9), Poentjak (Telaga Warna), Tjipanas, Tjiandjoer (10), Soekaraja, Buitenzorg, Dramaga, Tangerang, Batavia.-1779. W. Java (? May).3

 

collections:

It is probable that he brought together a collection of Java plants.4 He forwarded dried material of the ‘Benzoë’ tree to Houttuyn,5 and presented an important collection of natural history objects and documents to the above-mentioned Batavian Society.

In Herb. Bergius (= Acad. Stockholm [S]) I saw a sheet with ‘Radermacher per Thunberg, e Java’, on the back. Possibly he gave dried plants to Thunberg during the latters stay in Java.

 

literature:

(1) J.C.M. Radermacher: ‘Naamlijst der planten, die gevonden worden op het eiland Java met beschrijving van eenige nieuwe geslagten en soorten’ (Batavia 1780-82, 3 pts).

(2) cf. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. 18562, p. 161-180.

(3) cf. Gedenkboek Bataviaasch Genootschap 1778-1878, p. 40 and 246.

(4) cf. Noronha in Verh. Bat. Gen. K. & W. 5, 1790, (2nd ed.) 1827 in ‘Descriptio arboris rangas’ and in MSS; Hageman in Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 31, 1870, p. 193.

(5) cf. Blume in Verh. Bat. Gen. K. & W. 9, 1823, p. 161.

 

biographical data:

Hand. Ind. Gen. 2, 1855, p. 337-363; Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. 1899, p. 474-511; Gedenkb. Bat. Gen. K. & W. 1778-1878, Appendix X, p. lxxiii-lxxvii; Sirks, Ind. Nat. Ond., Amsterdam 1915, p.79; Encyclop. N.I. 3, 1919; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936.