Baeuerlen, William   (1840 - 1917)

Born in Neidernhall, Germany, on 27 October 1840, died in Sydney, New South Wales, on 28 October 1917.

Left Germany in 1863, and by 1883 was collecting specimens in Australia for F.Mueller. From about September 1883 until April 1905 Baeuerlen collected extensively in New South Wales (particularly in the north-east, around Lismore and Ballina in the 'Big Scrub', but also in the north-west, central, south-east and central coast areas), in south-eastern Queensland and in east Gippsland, Victoria. From 1883 until at least 1888 he was contracted as a collector for F.Mueller (MEL), and from 1886 for J.H.Maiden (NSW). In 1886 he was appointed botanical collector of the Bonito expedition which spent four months in the Fly and Strickland Rivers in Papua New Guinea.

His collections amount to many thousands of specimens, of which about 70 serve as Types for new species and infraspecific taxa.The main holdings are at MEL and NSW, with a few in A, B, KIEL, M and P.

The book Wildflowers of New South Wales by William Baeuerlen and Gertrude Lovegrove was published in Sydney in 1891.

Source: Extracted from: A.E.Orchard (1999) A History of Systematic Botany in Australia, in Flora of Australia Vol.1, 2nd ed., ABRS. [consult for source references]
Martin, Megan (2013) 'The Cambewarra connection: William Bauerlen, Gertrude Lovegrove and the Wild Flowers of New South Wales', Australiana, Aug 2013
Portrait Image: Mitchell Library - NSW, Bonito Expedition, 1885.

Pronounced 'boyerlen'.

Date of arrival in Australia unknown. Settled in Shoalhaven area, NSW. Contract Collector for Mueller 1883-89. On Bonito expedition under Everill to Fly R., New Guinea, incl. Thursday Is., departed Sydney 10 June1885, returned 3 Dec.

Botanical Collector for Technological Museum, Sydney, 4 May 1890 to 30 June 1905. Collected extensively in NSW (esp. around Lismore, Tintenbar & Ballina) e.g. Clyde R. Nov. 1884, Braid wood Dec. 1884,Tarella Stn (N of Wilcannia) Aug. 1887, Tingiringi Mtn Jan. 1889, Mt Kosciuszko Feb. 1890, Snowy R. (Jindabyne) Apr. 1890, Araluen Sept. 1890,Bateman Bay Oct. 1890, the north-east 1891-98, Bexhill Feb. 1891, Lismore1891, Nov. 1894, Mullumbimby July 1894 & May 1895, Woodburn 1895,Murwillumbah spring 1896, Tumbulgum 1897, Mongarlowe Oct. 1898, Blue Mtns & Bathurst 1899, Delegate Jan. 1899, Nyngan 1899-1900, Hay 1900,Condobolin to Grenfell 1901, Narrabri 1901, Tenterfield 1901, Wellington 1902-03, Cobar to Mt Hope 1903-04; eastern Vic. 1883-87, 1902 (see e.g. F. Mueller, Vic. Nat. 5: 15-16, 1888) & a little in south-eastern Qld e.g.Yandarlo 1887; see map in K.L.Wilson (1990).

Collections totalled many thousands incl. hepatics, now mainly at MEL, NSW, also B, BRI, KIEL, LY,M, P, PERTH. About half are numbered but these may be species numbers or separate series for each trip.

Published (with Gertrude Lovegrove) Wildflowers of New South Wales (1891).

Commemorated in Coma, Parmeliella, Pultenaea, Haloragis, Eucalyptus.

For correct spelling of his name in botanical epithets (baeuerlenii), see L.G.Adams, ASBS Newslett. 24: 8-10 (1980) & correction, op.cit. 25: 2 (1980).

Source: George, A.S. (2009) Australian Botanist's Companion, Four Gables Press, WA. [consult for source references]

Collecting localities for 'Baeuerlen, W.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 4,497 specimens