Contributions to the Flora of Tropical America: LXX: Notes on Some Aublet Types in the Paris Herbarium

Abstract

The story of the important discovery, by Dr. G. Bertemes, of a large series of type specimens of new plants described by Fusee Aublet in his 'Histoire des Plantes de la Guiane Frangoise' was told in full by J. Lanjouw & H. Uittien in their fascinating paper, 'Un nouvel herbier de Fus6e Aublet d6couvert en France', published in Rec. Tray. Bot. N6erl. 37: I33-170, tt. I-IV (1940). The authors showed that these plants, fully labelled in Aublet's handwriting and frequently matching his plates, had been part of the herbarium of the philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau ( 712-I 778), which had come into the hands of M. Henri Denaiffe, at Carignan (Ardennes). They visited Carignan in July, 1939, and spent several days on a critical study of the I I8 type specimens of Aublet's 'Histoire'. Their commentary was published in the paper cited above, the species being listed under Aublet's names, in alphabetical sequence with running numbers. After the late war, in 1953, this historic herbarium was acquired by the Laboratoire de Phandrogamie of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle at Paris, and is now preserved there as a separate unit under the name 'Herbier Rousseau'.