Reader, Felix Maximilian Franz   (1850 - 1911)

(German: von Reyder)

Born in Berlin, Germany, in 1850, died in Dimboola, Victoria, on 24 March 1911.

A pharmacist, with a business in Dimboola, in the 1890s and early 1900s.

A prolific collector of phanerogams and cryptogams, particularly of the Wimmera. Apparently collected in south-eastern South Australia in 1908.

Published extensively in Victorian Naturalist (mosses described by V.Brotherus and C.Müller).

His collection of about 10,000 specimens was purchased by MEL in 1906 for £80. Duplicates are in A, B, E, G, H, JE, K, L, MO, NH, NY, P and WAG.

These include specimens from his earlier life in New Zealand, explored in the rather unusual paper "My Botanical friend Felix Reader" referenced below.

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]

NOTE: see article "My Botanical friend Felix Reader" by Ann Collins & Ian St George in Supplement to eColenso August 2017, ISSN 1179-8351
http://182.50.159.24/Newsletters/Year%202017/Reader.pdf
(this also includes information of "Edward Reader", who also collected in the 1880s)

Collecting localities for 'Reader, F.M.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 2,794 specimens