Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Schneider, Gustav

 

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

(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 8: Cyclopaedia of collectors, Supplement II)

 

Born: 1867, Basel, Switzerland. Died: 1958, ?Basel, Switzerland.

 

career:

Zoologist and Custodian of the Zoological Institute, Basel, who travelled in Sumatra etc. (1897-99) to make zoological collections.1

In 1888 he visited Sumatra for the first time, accompanying the geologist and Director of the Zoological Museum Zürich, Prof. C. Mösch. He got his training at the Zoological Institute at Basel, but was later custodian of the musea at Kolmar and Mülhausen. He traded in natural curiosities, and lived at Basel. In later years he visited the U.S.A. and the Bermuda Islands.

Polypodium schneideri Cchrist was named after him (cf. Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936).

 

Collecting localities:

1897-98.1 Sumatra East Coast, Deli: headquarters at Terbanjawan (June 1897); Upper Langkat, Sukaranda (July-Aug.); hinterland of Langkat, headquarters at Berkantjang (Sept.-mid-Oct.), exploring the vicinity, making a trip via Mt Simelir to Durian Kenajan, foot of the Sinabung, ere.; back to Lau Buntu, collecting in the neighbourhood of Sungei Ruan and Sg. Gerpa: Sukaranda (Oct.-Nov.), in the latter month descending the Langkat River (= evidently Sg. Wampoe) to Stabat; collecting in Lower Langkat for 5 months, principally at Tandjung Bringin, Stabat, Tg Butus, Bt Tinggi (Glen Berwi), Pankalan Brandan, Pulu Telang; leaving for P. Penang on account of ill health; back to Sumatra East Coast (end of April 1898), Deli: Tebing Tinggi; in May setting out to Bahsumbu, Tongah, Surbo Dolok, making bivouac in the neighbourhood of Si Tobang (2 days); climbing the pass of Dolok Simarsubit (May 23); Pomatang raja (-June 2), making several trips in the environs, climbing the Simbolon (Raja Mts, c. 1500 m); to Mara raja, Purba, and Bandar Saribu on Toba Lake; Serba Djandi, trip to Tongging (on the N. side of the lake); via Saributjandi, Simula, back to Tebingtinggi (June 20 arrival); trip to Laut Tador (hundreds of Vanda hookeriana!) and Tandjung Laut; another trip to the Raja Mts (to Pomatang Bandar); leaving (mid-Sept.) for Belawan and Singapore; leaving Singapore again (Oct. 30), this time bound for Centr. Sumatra, Indragiri: headquarters at Djapura on the Indragiri (or Kuantan) River, making trips in the environs, to the neighbouring lakes Danau Kota, D. Baru, D. Si Along Lotong and D. Gading, etc.; P(e)ranap (higher up the river); Batu ridial on the Sg. Kwantan; expedition to the ‘Orang Mamma’ (between the Tjenako, Peranap and Gangsal rivers).

He made mainly marine-zoological collections in Singapore, Riouw Archipelago, Kedah (Malay Peninsula), P. Penang, P. Tikus ( ? off Benkoelen), Java, and Nusa Kambangan.

 

collections:

Herb. Basel [BAS]: plants from Sumatra on behalf of Christ, > 40; ferns probably with Herb. Christ at Paris [P].

See also sub Anonymous, Sumatra ferns presented by G. Meyer-Darcis to Herb. Univ. Zürich [Z] in 1905; collected by him?

Christ described some new species.2

 

literature:

(1) ‘Orang Mamma (Mamak), ein bisher unbekannter Volksstamm im innern Sumatras’ (Leipziger Ill. Zeit. no 961, 29. Mai 1900);

‘Ergebnisse zoologischer Forschungsreisen in Sumatra. I. Säugetiere (Mammalia)’ (Zool. Jahrb. vol. 23 Systematik, 1906, p. 1-172, 3 pl. and 2 maps; introduction and itinerary cf. p. 1-31).

‘Die Orang Mamma auf Sumatra’ (Vierteljahrschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich 103, 1958, p. 213-286).

(2) H. Christ: ‘Filices novae’ (Bull. Herb. Boiss. 6, 1898, p. 835-837).

 

biographical data:

Vierteljahrschr. Naturf. Ges. Zürich 103, 1958, p. 215-216, portr.