M R Henderson
Encyclopedia
Murray Ross Henderson was a Scottish
botanist who did most of his botanical work in the Straits Settlements
and South Africa. He took a position as a botanist in Malaya in 1921 and became curator of the herbarium in the Singapore Botanical Gardens in 1924.
On the invasion of British Malaya
by Japan in World War II, Henderson escaped from Singapore to Sumatra. He travelled from there via Colombo
to Durban
in South Africa, where he continued to do botanical work at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
for the remainder of the war. He returned to Singapore in 1946 and was appointed acting Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. He was Director of the Gardens from 1949 to 1954 when he retired to Aberdeen.
M. R. Henderson graduated in botany from the University of Aberdeen. He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1922. He authored a number of floras and other botanical texts including the 3 volume "Malayan Wild Flowers" and "Malayan Orchid Hybrids" (editor).
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
botanist who did most of his botanical work in the Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
and South Africa. He took a position as a botanist in Malaya in 1921 and became curator of the herbarium in the Singapore Botanical Gardens in 1924.
On the invasion of British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
by Japan in World War II, Henderson escaped from Singapore to Sumatra. He travelled from there via Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
to Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
in South Africa, where he continued to do botanical work at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
Kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch is the name of a famous botanical garden nestled at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town....
for the remainder of the war. He returned to Singapore in 1946 and was appointed acting Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. He was Director of the Gardens from 1949 to 1954 when he retired to Aberdeen.
M. R. Henderson graduated in botany from the University of Aberdeen. He was elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1922. He authored a number of floras and other botanical texts including the 3 volume "Malayan Wild Flowers" and "Malayan Orchid Hybrids" (editor).
Further reading
- Burkill, H.M. (1983) "Murray Ross Henderson". J. Malaysian Branch, Royal Asiatic Society 56:97.