Author: Collett H. and W. B. Hemsley
Title: On a collection of plants from Upper Burma and the Shan States.
Description: London, The Linnean Society, Longmans, Green and Co., Williams and Norgate, 1890. 8vo (22.0 x 14.3 cm). 150 pp.; one very large, multi-folded map of the region, 22 lithographed plates (one double-sized). Original printed wrappers. = A seldom-seen work on the botany of the northern part of Myanmar, written by the British botanist and Brigadier-General Sir Henry Collett (1837-1901), and the British botanist William Botting Hemsley (1843-1924). Collett "...joined the Bengal Army at the age of 20. In the Jaintea war (1862-1863) he was badly wounded in the ankle, leaving him with an iron support and some difficulty in walking for the rest of his life. Yet he travelled extensively in India, Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar), briefly acting as Chief Commissioner of Assam (1891) before retiring form the Army (1893). During his many years of active service he developed an interest in botany (1877-), collecting preserved specimens and living plants which he introduced to England. Introductions include Rosa gigantea, the largest single-flowered rose species, and the giant burmese honeysuckle, Lonicera hildebrandtiana Collett & Hemsl. He was a founder member of the Simla Naturalists' Society (1885) and wrote a brief flora of the area with the assistance of W. B. Hemsley. The name of Sir Henry Collett is commemorated in the genus Neocolletia Hemsl. and many species including Cirrhopetalum collettii Hemsl., Iris collettii Hook. f. and Pedicularis collettii Prain. His herbarium was donated by his family to K[ew Gardens]" (Global Plants website). In 1860, Hemsley "started work at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as an Improver, then Assistant for India in the Herbarium, finally Keeper of Herbarium and Library. He wrote a number of botanical works. In 1888, a genus of flowering plants from south-east Asia, belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae was named Hemsleya in his honour" (Wikipedia). Published in the Society's Journal. Rear wrapper edges and spine top a bit chipped; otherwise very good, clean, and unmarked.

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