Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Lam, Herman Johannes

 

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

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

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

 

Born: 1892, Veendam, Gr., Holland.

 

career:

Botanist, educated at Utrecht University, where he took his Ph. Dr’s degree in 1919; Assistant at the Buitenzorg Herbarium, 1919-32; Chief of the Foreigners’ Laboratory, Buitenzorg, and besides Extraordinary Professor at Batavia Medical College, 1932-33; since 1933 Director of the Rijksherbarium and Extraordinary Professor (in 1945 Ordinary) in the University, Leiden. In 1954 he was awarded a honorary Dr’s degree at Perth, W. Australia. Following his visit to Australia, he made a tour in New Guinea. Retired in 1962.

Besides of the below-cited literature, author of many systematic, plant-geographical, morphological, and other papers.

Several plant species and the genera Lamechites Markgr. and Lamiofrutex Laut. (= Vavaea) were named after him.

 

Collecting localities:

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1925

1926

1928

1930

1931

1932

1933

1954

1962

1919. W. Java: above Gadok (Aug. 9); G. Salak (Sept. 14); probably in this year visiting G. Bondo, Pasir Bondo and G. Pantjar (Sept. 21); G. Gedeh, Kandangbadak (Oct. 15).-1920. W. Java: G. Mandalagiri (March 23-26, 29-31 and Apr. 2); G. Djaja (March 27, Apr. 1); Garnet (March 27); G. Papandajan (March 28).-Van Overeem Expedition, 1920-21.1 Dutch North New Guinea with mantri Ajoeb (see there) : Pionier bivouac, Mamberamo (June 13, 1920; Lam and some other participants not joining the expedition before then); Otken River; setting out (Aug. 8) to Prauwen bivouac (Edi Falls, Van Rees Mts, Meervlakte), arriving the 14th; Doorman River; setting out (Sept. 18) to Brug bivouac; proceeding (28) to G. Boetak (Idenburg River); Radio bivouac (3260 m), Doorman summit (Oct. 16), climbing the summit (3550 m); descending (29) on account of food shortage; ascending again (Nov. 7); staying 4 days at Beek bivouac (2400 m), and proceeding to Radio bivouac (arrival on the 14th); descending (17) to Dika bivouac (Swart River) (19); Prauwen bivouac (Dec. 5-24); Pionier bivouac (28); sailing (Jan. 12, 1921) for Ambon and ascending G. Api on Banda (Jan., not collecting).2 -1922. W. Java: Depok (Sept. 17); Centr. Java: G. Slamat (Nov. 19-22);3 W. Java: G. Tjeremai (Dec. 24-26).4-1923. Islands in the Bay of Batavia (Klein Kombuis, Enkhuizen, Kerkhof)(Apr. 20-22).-1925. W. Java: Buitenzorg (March 30); Tjiboerial (Apr. 10); G. Salak (May 20-21); tea estate Tjianten (June 21); G. Tjibodas, Tjampea (July 19); Buitenzorg (Aug. 20). Expedition to Celebes, Moluccas, etc., 1926 (March 31-July 20).5 N. Celebes:6 arrival at Manado (Apr. 12); by car along the coast to Tanahwangko (13); to Ratahan via Tomohon (14); G. Manimporok (15); Bélang on the Gulf of Tomini (16); crossing the Minahassa by car via Tombatoe, Toempaän, Kawangkoan, Rembokken (Lake Tondano), Tondano, Sarangan, Ajermadidi and back to Manado (17); by steamer (departing in the evening of the 19th) via Groot Sangi(he) (Taroena) (20) to the Talaud Islands: P. Karakelong (Apr. 21-May 16),7 making trips from Beo (Apr. 21-28); by proa to Lobo (29), along Koeala Bahewa (= K. Lobo or K. Rae), past the tributary K. Malaboe and making bivouac at Tatamboewe (Apr. 30-May 11), returning to Lobo along the Koeala, arriving the 15th; via Noesa Maraloem (=P. Jolly) back to Beo (16), staying till the 19th; P. Salebaboe (May 20-25): Liroeng, G. Ajambana (22 and 23 on the summit); via the small lakes Danon Timbalang’a and Danon Bindoek back to Liroeng (24); P. Kaboeroeang (= Kabroeang) (May 26-27); landing at Mangarang (26) and excursion in eastern direction till half-way the island (G. Boewidoewawi), Koeala Ampas; P. Salebaboe: collected at Moronge near Lota Swamp (28); P. Karakelong (May 29-June 9): landing at Poeloetan; G. Piapi (May 31-June l on the summit); on foot via Poeloetan and Dahang to Beo (June 4-9); P. Miangas (June 11-12);8 Nenoesa (= Nanoesa) Islands: P. Merampi (June 13), P. Garat (14); P. Morotai (June 16-July 1): Wajaboela (16-17); to Pilowo (18); Doro-Doro, Goegoeti bivouac (20-26); Marilako (27-29); Wajaboela (July 1); via Djailolo in Halmaheira, and Ternate (2-5), to Tidore (July 6-9): climbing the Peak (8); via Ternate (10-11), Batjan (13), Ambon (14), and Makassar (S W. Celebes) (16), back to Priok (arriving July 20).-1928. W. Java: Tjigombong (March 18); Wates (Oct. 7).-1930. Tjikopo (Sept. and Nov. 9); G. Salak (Dec. 25).-1931. P. Hoorn (Bay of Batavia); Priangan (Apr. 4); Megamendoeng (July 28); G. Salak (Aug. 3); Tjikopo (Oct. 18); E. Java: Madioen, Sarangan (Dec.); Centr. Java: Bandjarnegara.-1932. W. Java: Bolang, Tjikasoengka (Febr. 21); Geger Bintang and Tjisaroea Zuid (South) (June 19); Tjigombong (July 10).-1933. Pondok Gedeh (Jan. 8); Mountain Garden Tjibodas (Jan. 27).-1954. Papua: Port Moresby and Sogeri (Sept. 28), Brown River (29); Mand. Terr. of New Guinea: Lae (Oct. 1), Bulolo (2), Wau (Edie Creek) (3), Bulolo-Lae (4), Lae (5); North New Guinea: Hollandia (9), Cyclops (K. Koejaboe) (10), Holtekang (E of Hollandia) (12), Hollandia-Depapre (15), Depapre (16).-1962. Malaya: during the UNESCO limestone Expedition in Ulu Kelantan (July 24-Aug. 18).

 

collections:

Herb. Bog. [BO]: in total 3850 nos; the Java numbers provided with a J., the New Guinea collection amounting to 1711 nos (including Fungi, lichens and Algae),9 983 nos from Talaud and Nanoesa Islands, 228 from Morotai and a small collection from N. Celebes and the Peak of Tidore;10 Herb. Leiden [L]: dupl. from Java, New Guinea, Celebes, and the Moluccas; Herb. Utrecht [U]: New Guinea (1920) and Java (1925) plants. Herb. Leiden [L]: 129 nos New Guinea (1954).

His orchid collection from the Moluccas was studied by J.J. Smith.11

According to the herbarium lists,12 the collecting on the Doorman summit (New Guinea) took place daily between Oct. 1 st and Nov. 18th; this does not agree with the interruption recorded in literature.

He collected wood samples in Celebes, Talaud and Morotai.

Living plants from Morotai and P. Karakelong in Hort. Bog.

 

literature:

(1) ‘Mamberamo’. De expeditie naar Centraal Nieuw Guinea (Het Indische Leven, August 1920): ‘De wetenschappelijke expeditie naar Nieuw-Guinee’ (Bandoeng 1921, 7 pp.).

H.J. Lam: ‘Iets over de botanische resultaten van de Noord-Nieuw-Guinea expeditie 1920’ (Teysmannia 32, 1921, p. 289-326 and rectification in l.c. 33, 1922, p. 54); ‘Nieuw Guineesche aspecten’ (Trop. Nat. 11, 1922, p. 38-45, 10 fig.); ‘Iets over den akkerbouw bij een papoeastam in Centraal Nieuw-Guinea, benevens enkele opmerkingen over land en flora van dat eiland’ (Hand. 2e N.I. Natuurwet. Congr. 1922, p. 156-161); ‘Vegetationsbilder aus dem Innern von Neu-Guinea’ (in Schenck & Karsten, Vegetationsbilder, 15. Reihe, Heft 5-7, 1924); ‘Fragmenta Papuana’ I-VII (Nat. Tijdschr. N.I. 87, 1927, p. 110-180; l.c. 88, 1928, p. 187-227, 252-324, l.c. 89, 1929, p. 67-140, 291-388; in total with 93 fig.; transl. into English by L.M. Perry in Sargentia 5, 1945, 196 pp., 32 fig., 2 maps); ‘Materials towards a study of the flora of the island of New Guinea’ (Blumea 1, 1934, p. 115-159, 3 fig.); ‘De vegetatie en de flora van Nieuw-Guinee’ (Nieuw Guinee 1, 1935, p. 187-210, fig. 36-43, 1 map).

(2) cf. Tijdschr. K.N.A.G. 1922, p. 597-604.

(3) H.J. Lam: ‘Aanteekeningen betreffende een bestijging van den G. Slamat’ (Trop. Nat. 13, 1924, p. 17-25, 6 fig.).

(4) H.J. Lam: ‘Een bestijging van den G. Tjaremé’ (Trop. Nat. 14, 1925, p. 2-10, 2 fig.).

(5) Extracted from his diary, deposited at the Buitenzorg Herbarium.

L.B. Holthuis & H.J. Lam: ‘A first contribution to our knowledge of the flora of the Talaud Islands and Morotai’ (Blumea 5, 1942, p. 93-256).

(6) H.J. Lam: ‘Botanische aanteekeningen van den Minahassa’ (Trop. Nat. 20, 1931, p. 209-219, 6 fig.).

(7) H.J. Lam: ‘Een plantengeographisch dorado’ (Hand. 4e N.I. Natuurwet. Congr. 1926, p. 386-397).

(8) H.J. Lam: ‘Mianghas, the disputed isle’ (Interocean 9, 1928, p. 195); ‘Miangas (Palmas)’ (Ind. Comité Wet. Onderz. 6, Batavia 1932; with plant list).

(9) Descriptions of new plants in Nova Guinea vols 14 and 18, and in Beitr. z. Flor. Papuas. from no 11 onwards (=Engl. Bot. Jahrb. 59, 1925 →).

Bryophytes by H. Reimers in Hedwigia 69, 1929, p. 114-136.

(10) Systematic part of ‘A contribution to the flora of the Talaud Islands and Morotai’ by L.B. Holthuis in Blumea 5, 1942, p. 146-256.

(11) In ‘On a collection of Orchidaceae from the northern Moluccas’ (Bull. Jard. Bot. Buit. sér. 3, vol. 11, 1930, p. 67-81).

(12) Lists of the collections in Herb. Buitenzorg.

 

biographical data:

Wie is dat? ed. 3-4; portr. in Ann. Jard. Bot. Buit. 45, 1935, pl. 3, and in Chron. Bot. 1, 1935, p. 27; Backer, Verkl. Woordenb., 1936; Curr. vitae in Rijksherbarium Leiden; Blumea Suppl. 4, 1958 (Jubilee vol.), p. 1-16, bibliogr., portr.