Specimens of the botany of New Holland — aspects of European botanical observations and discoveries made in Australia prior to 1770

Abstract

The earliest recorded European visit to Australia occurred in 1606, when a Dutch vessel sailed along the western coast of the Cape York Peninsula in north-eastern Australia. In 1616 another Dutch vessel happened upon part of the west coast of the continent, and in the following decade several other Dutch ships accidentally came upon these western and north-western coasts of New Holland. In 1627 the south coast was explored by Dutch mariners as far as the Nuyts Islands. In 1642—43 Tasman discovered Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania) and New Zealand, and in 1644 he completed the discovery of the northern coast of New Holland. In the following century, Dutch, English and French vessels visited the known parts of New Holland, without making further substantial discoveries. Some of these discoverers and early explorers recorded their impressions of the Australian environment, and described the vegetation, some of the plants and many animals, albeit generally and in European terms. Abel Tasman recorded that his men collected plant specimens in Tasmania in December 1642. In 1697, plants and animals were collected in western New Holland when an expedition under Willem de Vlamingh visited the Swan River: some extant herbarium specimens almost certainly are the remnants of this collection. One year later William Dampier made a collection in the Shark Bay area, from which about 20 specimens are extant. Dampier also described plants in his accounts of the voyages he made to New Holland. As early as 1768 endemic Australian plants received "Linnaen epithets" unwittingly. The "pre-Cook" visitors considered New Holland a barren and harsh place, unsuited for settlement or commercial exploitation. However, they did bring back to Europe botanical information, and in some cases plant specimens, though few of these have survived. From statements published at the beginning of the 18th century in a Dutch text it seems that there was more information available, at least in Holland, about Australasian botany than has been supposed, and perhaps many plant specimens. This knowledge appears to have been overlooked in later decades, and then almost forgotten.