George Samuel Perrottet
Encyclopedia
George Samuel Perrottet (1793 – January 3, 1870) was a Swiss-born, French botanist
and horticulturalist
who was a native of Vully, canton Vaud
.
He worked as a gardener
at the Jardin des Plantes
, and in 1819-21 was as a naturalist
on an expedition commanded by Naval Captain Pierre Henri Philibert. Perottet's duties on the journey involved collecting plants in Réunion
, Java
, and the Philippines
for re-plantation and cultivation in Guyane
.
From 1824 to 1829 he performed explorations in Senegambia (region of the present-day nations of Senegal
and Gambia
), where he was also administrator of "Sénégalaise", a government outpost and trading company. Prior to returning to France in 1829, he also explored Gorée Island
and Cape Verde
. With Jean Baptiste Antoine Guillemin
(1796–1842) and Achille Richard
(1794–1852), he published a work on the flora of Senegambia called Florae Senegambiae Tentamen (1830–1833), with its illustrative work being done by Joseph Decaisne
(1807–1882).
In 1832 Perrottet was appointed correspondent of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
in Paris
, and from 1834 to 1839 was assigned to the botanical garden
at Pondicherry. In 1839 he returned to France, where he became involved with silkworm
cultivation. From 1843 until his death in 1870, he worked as a botanist in Pondicherry.
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and horticulturalist
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
who was a native of Vully, canton Vaud
Vaud
Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and is located in Romandy, the French-speaking southwestern part of the country. The capital is Lausanne. The name of the Canton in Switzerland's other languages are Vaud in Italian , Waadt in German , and Vad in Romansh.-History:Along the lakes,...
.
He worked as a gardener
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
at the Jardin des Plantes
Jardin des Plantes
The Jardin des Plantes is the main botanical garden in France. It is one of seven departments of the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle. It is situated in the 5ème arrondissement, Paris, on the left bank of the river Seine and covers 28 hectares .- Garden plan :The grounds of the Jardin des...
, and in 1819-21 was as a naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
on an expedition commanded by Naval Captain Pierre Henri Philibert. Perottet's duties on the journey involved collecting plants in Réunion
Réunion
Réunion is a French island with a population of about 800,000 located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for re-plantation and cultivation in Guyane
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
.
From 1824 to 1829 he performed explorations in Senegambia (region of the present-day nations of Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
and Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
), where he was also administrator of "Sénégalaise", a government outpost and trading company. Prior to returning to France in 1829, he also explored Gorée Island
Gorée
Île de Gorée Île de Gorée Île de Gorée (i.e. "Gorée Island"; is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a island located at sea from the main harbor of Dakar ....
and Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
. With Jean Baptiste Antoine Guillemin
Jean Baptiste Antoine Guillemin
Jean Baptiste Antoine Guillemin was a French botanist.In 1812 he was apprenticed to a pharmacist in Dijon, and in 1814 moved to Geneva, where he studied with Jean Pierre Étienne Vaucher and Augustin Pyramus de Candolle...
(1796–1842) and Achille Richard
Achille Richard
Achille Richard was a French botanist and physician .He was son of a notable botanist, Louis-Claude Marie Richard .Pharmacist in the French fleet and member of several well-known societies of their time....
(1794–1852), he published a work on the flora of Senegambia called Florae Senegambiae Tentamen (1830–1833), with its illustrative work being done by Joseph Decaisne
Joseph Decaisne
Joseph Decaisne was a French botanist and agronomist.Although he was born in Brussels, Belgium, he exercised his activity exclusively in Paris...
(1807–1882).
In 1832 Perrottet was appointed correspondent of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and from 1834 to 1839 was assigned to the botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
at Pondicherry. In 1839 he returned to France, where he became involved with silkworm
Bombyx mori
The silkworm is the larva or caterpillar of the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori . It is an economically important insect, being a primary producer of silk...
cultivation. From 1843 until his death in 1870, he worked as a botanist in Pondicherry.
See also
- List of gardener-botanist explorers of the Enlightenment
- European and American voyages of scientific explorationEuropean and American voyages of scientific explorationThe era of European and American voyages of scientific exploration followed the Age of Discovery and were inspired by a new confidence in science and reason that arose in the Age of Enlightenment...