Herman Rupp
Encyclopedia
Herman Montague Rucker Rupp (27 December 1872 – 2 September 1956) was an Australia
n clergyman and botanist who specialised in orchids and was known as the "Orchid Man".
Rupp was born in Port Fairy, Victoria
to a Prussia
n-born Anglican clergyman father and Tasmania
n mother who died soon after his birth. Rupp was educated at Geelong Grammar School
as a boarder, where an uncle John Bracebridge Wilson, the naturalist, was headmaster.
Rupp was made deacon
on 28 May 1899 and ordained priest
on 2 June 1901. He began recording his botanical observations and specimens in 1892; from 1899 made 'a census of the native plants' of his parishes. In 1924 he decided to 'concentrate on the family which had always attracted me most — the orchids' and gave some 5000 other specimens to the University of Melbourne
's botany school. He sent 'some MSS notes on orchids' to Joseph Maiden
who had them published in the Australian Naturalist (April 1924). Rupp published over 200 papers in the following thirty years.
Rupp was awarded the Clarke Medal
by the Royal Society of New South Wales
in 1949 and the Australian Natural History Medallion
by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
in 1954.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n clergyman and botanist who specialised in orchids and was known as the "Orchid Man".
Rupp was born in Port Fairy, Victoria
Port Fairy, Victoria
Port Fairy is a coastal town in south-western Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Princes Highway in the Shire of Moyne, west of Warrnambool and 290 km west of Melbourne, at the point where the Moyne River enters the Southern Ocean.-History:...
to a Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n-born Anglican clergyman father and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n mother who died soon after his birth. Rupp was educated at Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
as a boarder, where an uncle John Bracebridge Wilson, the naturalist, was headmaster.
Rupp was made deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
on 28 May 1899 and ordained priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on 2 June 1901. He began recording his botanical observations and specimens in 1892; from 1899 made 'a census of the native plants' of his parishes. In 1924 he decided to 'concentrate on the family which had always attracted me most — the orchids' and gave some 5000 other specimens to the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
's botany school. He sent 'some MSS notes on orchids' to Joseph Maiden
Joseph Maiden
Joseph Henry Maiden was a botanist who made a major contribution to knowledge of the Australian flora, especially the Eucalyptus genus. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Maiden when citing a botanical name.Joseph Maiden was born in St John's Wood, London...
who had them published in the Australian Naturalist (April 1924). Rupp published over 200 papers in the following thirty years.
Rupp was awarded the Clarke Medal
Clarke Medal
The Clarke Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of New South Wales for distinguished work in the Natural sciences.Named in honour of the Reverend William Branwhite Clarke, one of the founders of the Society...
by the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
in 1949 and the Australian Natural History Medallion
Australian Natural History Medallion
The Australian Natural History Medallion is awarded each year by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria to the person judged to have made the most meritorious contribution to the understanding of Australian Natural History...
by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria is an Australian natural history and conservation organisation.It was founded in May 1880 by a group of nature enthusiasts that included Thomas Pennington Lucas. Charles French and Dudley Best. It is the oldest conservation group in Victoria...
in 1954.