Career

Collecting localities

Collections

Literature

Biographical data

 

Symington, Colin Fraser

 

(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: 1905, Edinburgh, Scotland. Died: 1943, Nigeria, Africa.

 

career:

Was educated at Edinburgh, where he took his B.Sci. degree in forestry, and subsequently took a postgraduate course at Oxford University. In 1927 he was appointed to the Malayan Forestry Service. Some years before the war he was promoted Forest Botanist at Kepong (Kuala Lumpur), Selangor. Besides in the below-mentioned islands he travelled in the Philippines. After the capitulation of Singapore he escaped to Australia and after a time was posted by the Colonial Office to the Forestry Dept in Nigeria.

Monographer of the Dipterocarpaceae of the Malay Peninsula.

He is commemorated in Eugenia symingtoniana Henderson.

 

Collecting localities:

1930. E. Sumatra: Brastagi (Dec.).-1931. Malay Peninsula: Keledang-Sayong Forest Reserve in Perak South (Apr.); Trengganu (July); with Foxworthy in Penang (Sept.), collecting on his way at Telok Anson and in the Dindings; collected together with Gordon H. Spare on G. Sibajak, Sumatra East Coast (Nov. 22, 1931)-1934.1 Penang (Pantei Acheh, Penang Hill); Perak (Pondok Tanjong and ljok); Pahang (Beserah, Kuantan, Sg. Lembing, Cameron Highlands (Apr.)); G. Tapis (June 10-17)2 accompanied by Kiah, a collector of the Singapore Botanic Garden; Kelantan (G. Stong, G. Sagi, Chabang Tongkat, Gong Kedah, Bt Yong, Tualang Gelang).-1935. Selangor (Bt Lagong, Sg. Baloh, Sg. Lalang, Bt Takun, Klang Gates, Gap); Perak (Parit, Pelus, Jalong, Chikus, Jangka, Trolak); Pahang West (Kemasul, Bt Raka, Lentang, Rotan Tunggal, Bt Kajang); visit to Manila (Luzon, Philippines) to study Dipterocarpaceae in the Herbarium (Nov.-Dec.).-1936. After his return from leave (end of Oct.) paying a visit to Perak (Bubu and Keledang Sayong); Selangor (Ulu Gombak, Sg. Baloh, Weld Hill, Rantau Panjang and Telok); Negri Sembilan (Senawang, Triang and Senaling Inas); Pahang (Baloh, Telok Sisek, Kuantan-Pekan Road).-1937. Boh Plantations party to Cameron Highlands (March 31-May 5), spending 2 days at Fraser Hill.-1938. Malacca (Merlimau For. Reserve); Johore (Barang For. Reserve); Selangor (Kepong, Telok For. Reserve); Pahang (Kemasul For. Reserve, Baloh For. Reserve, Bt Goh For. Reserve), Langkawi Islands (G. Raya, G. Bata Chinchang, P. Dayang Bunting, etc.) (middle of the year), making a 6 weeks’ collecting trip accompanied by the local forest officers to Br. N. Borneo (June 9-24) and Brunei (Aug.).3 In Br. N. Borneo he collected in the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve, the logging areas at Betotan and Segaliud, and in Semporna Distr.4

 

collections:

Herb. Kuala Lump. [KEP], numbered in the Conservator of Forests (C.F.) series (see there). On G. Tapis he collected 99 nos above 2000 ft. Dupl. in Herb. Sing. [SING]; Edinburgh [E]; Herb. Manila [PNH]: 51 dupl. (pres. 1935); in Herb. Bog. [BO] some dupl. too. Sumatra specimens (1931) in Herb. Sing., F. nos. [SING].

 

literature:

(1) cf. Malayan Forester 5, 1935, p. 65.

(2) C.F. Symington: ‘The flora of Gunong Tapis in Pahang’ (Mal. Br. Roy. As. Soc. 14, 1936, p. 333-365, pl. 19-23).

(3) cf. Chron. Bot. 5, 1939, p. 295.

(4) cf. Ann. Rep. For. Dept Br. N. Borneo for 1938, p. 18-19.

 

biographical data:

Proc. Linn. Soc. 1943/ 44, pt 3, Aug. 1945, p. 233-235; cf. Mal. For. 26, 1962, p. 107-108 (on the fate of his book on Dipterocarps).