Ericetum Africanum

Thijsse, G., Mabberley, D. J. & Baas, P., 2023, Exploring the Leiden ‘ Van Royen herbarium’: History and scientific significance of the herbarium specimens of Adriaan (1704 - 1779) and David van Royen (1727 - 1799), Blumea 68 (2), pp. 85-138 : 124-126

Ericetum Africanum

Another project Adriaan van Royen had embarked on was Ericetum Africanum , describing heath plants from the Cape of Good Hope ( A. van Royen 1740 : praef. p. 10). 66 Probably for the same reasons that he had mentioned in a letter to Linnaeus in January 1739, explaining why he could not finish a completely

61 Letter A. van Royen (8 January 1739) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L0272).

62 That same day A.van Royen wrote to T. Gerber that Prodromus had been sent to the printer (Waller Manuscript Collection, Uppsala University Library, Ms benl-00621).A. von Haller wrote (11 January 1739) to Linnaeus that he had received Van Royen’s Prodromus (Linnaean correspondence L0270). This was probably a copy of the manuscript because the first 20 pages were printed in June 1739 (Linnaean correspondence L0289) and the Prodromus was still in press in July (Linnaean correspondence L0291). In September it would be published soon (Linnaean correspondence L0303). Van Royen promised Linnaeus in November to send him a copy of Prodromus as a token of friendship (Linnaean correspondence L0310).It was sent to Linnaeus in December via J.F.Gronovius (Linnaean correspondence L0313).

63 Letter A. von Haller (11 January 1739) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L0270).

64 Letter Linnaeus (1 May 1737) to A. von Haller (Linnaean correspondence L0179).

65 Letter J.F. Gronovius (8 February 1737) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L0144).

new catalogue of the plants in the Leiden botanical garden, Adriaan complained to Von Haller in March that year that he had no time to complete Ericetum (Suringar 1866: 262). 67 In May 1742, however, the copper plates for the prints were ready and Adriaan had a number of sets of proofs made from them. 68 The copper plates were prepared by the Leiden engraver Johannes van der Spyk after the drawings made by the Leiden painter and draughtsman Pieter Cattel (1712–1759). In 1753, a manuscript was ready (Linnaeus 1753: 354). 69 In 1756 Ericetum still had not appeared in a final published form. Ultimately, it was scheduled to be issued in the summer of 1761 .70 Why this did not happen is not known, but is probably due to Adriaan van Royen being very occupied with other matters. 71

66 On 24 October 1756 Linnaeus wrote to the French botanist Louis Gérard (1733–1819): ‘Royenus reliquit hortum Leydensem, praxi medica manci- patus;tradidit eum successori,fratris filio,quem dicunt nihil omnino valere. Ego eum non novi. Certus sis quod senior Royenus nihil dabit a meo discessu. Elaboravimus quidem Ericas africanas, sed nunquam prodiere (Translation. [Adriaan] Van Royen left the Leiden botanical garden,having retired from his medical practice; he handed it (the hortus) over to his successor, his brother’s son ( David van Royen ), who is said to be totally ineffectual. I do not know him. Be assured that Van Royen senior will give nothing since my departure. We did indeed work on African heathers, but they have never come out (been published))’(Linnaean correspondence L2098).

67 Letter A. van Royen (8 January 1739) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L0272).

68 On 30 May 1742 J. F. Gronovius wrote to J. P. Breyne: ‘ De plaaten van het boek van Roeye de Ericis Africanis werden tegenwoordig in het kooper gesneden, en alreeds syn er so veele afgedaan, dat die heer daar al vyf honderd gulden verschooten heft (Translation. The plates for Van Royen’s book on African ericas are now cut into copper, and already so many are finished that it has already cost him five hundred guilders)’ (Margócsy 2014: 94, 242 note 77) .

Most of the herbarium specimens Adriaan van Royen studied for his Ericetum are in the ‘ Van Royen herbarium’ and can often be recognised by references to the plate numbers that were made on the sheets by David van Royen. The original drawings (except that for plate 11) and one set of proofs of the plates (except that of plate 16), printed in folio, are in the collection of botanical ‘icones’ of Naturalis ( Fig. 42 , 43). On these Leiden proofs, the corrections that had to be made by the engraver are written by Adriaan (see the information given by Pieter Willem Leenhouts (1926–2004) in Stafleu & Cowan Vol. 4, 1983) ( Fig. 43). These drawings and proofs are not mentioned separately in the auction catalogue of David van Royen’s library (Anonymous 1800), but possibly had been incorporated in the ‘ Van Royen herbarium’ associated with the corresponding herbarium specimens, where they were found by Brugmans.

When Brugmans’s library was auctioned in Leiden in 1858 several sets of proofs and Adriaan van Royen’s manuscript of Ericetum, entitled ‘Collectanea de Ericae genere’, were offered for sale. At this auction the copper plates were also sold. According to the catalogue, one of the auctioned sets of proofs was printed in 1772 on folio-sized paper and was provided with corrections that were written by the ‘author’ (Anonymous 1858: 6). 72 It seems that it was all bought by the German botanist Friedrich Wilhelm Wallroth (1792–1857). In any case, at the auction of Wallroth’s library in Berlin by the bookseller and publisher Friedländer &

69 ‘Numerosum gregem Ericarum AEthiopicarum aliorumque infinita diligentia dudum conquisivit,descripsit,delineavit & absolvit Botanicus vere magnus Ill. Adrian Royenus, quas ut edat publicique juris faciat, omnes Botanici mecum serio efflagitant (Translation. A numerous group of southern African heathers and others he has long collected,described,drawn and handled with infinite care, the truly great botanist, the Very Excellent Adriaan van Royen , and that he edits and publishes them, all botanists with me urge him to do so’.)

70 Letter N.L. Burman (18 July 1761) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L2926 ) .

71 Letter N.L. Burman (16 May 1769) to Linnaeus (Linnaean correspondence L4216 ) .

Sohn in 1859, the set of proofs David van Royen had printed in 1772, as well as the manuscript were offered for sale again. 73 The current whereabouts of the manuscript is unfortunately unknown. The 1772 set, on the other hand, ended up in the library of Leipzig University (Ms 2848) (Fuchs 2011: 317). The notes on the proofs turn out to be written by David van Royen and thus not by the ‘author’ (i.e., Adriaan van Royen ) as mentioned in the 1858 and 1859 catalogues.According to the background

72 The description in the catalogue reads: ‘ Ericetum Africanum , formant 40 planches noires, sans texte. Collection très intéressante de quelques ex. parmi lesquels se trouve un exemplaire in folio tiré en 1772 (Janvier), avec les corrections de la main de l’auteur,ainsi que quelq. feuilles MSS. intitulé: Collectanea de Ericae genere. Les planches en cuivre, de l’ouvr age seront vendues à la fois avec cette collection (Translation. Ericetum Africanum , comprising 40 black and white plates, without text. ***Very interesting collection of several copies,among which is a folio copy printed in 1772 (January), with corrections in the author’s hand, as well as some MSS. leaves entitled: Collectanea de Ericae genere. The copper plates, of the publication will be sold at the same time with this collection.)

73 Botanische Bücher-Sammlung aus dem Nachlasse des Dr.F.W. Wallroth, welche am 15. Juni 1859 und den folgenden Tagen öffentlich in unserem Auktions-Lokale Kurstrasse 9 versteigert werden soll. Appendix to Flora oder algemeine botanische Zeitung (42) 19: 1–37. Lot 627. Ericetum Africanum . 40 vortrefflich gestochene Kpfrtfln.Auf gross Papier in fol. ohne text. Ein gänzlich unbekannte nicht publizirtes Werk A. v. Royen’s.

Jede Tafel ist mit dem Namen u. d. krit. Analyse der darauf abgebildeten Planzen von der Hand des Verfasser versehen. Dazu ein Handschrift des Verfassers von 28 Folioseiten und sehr vielen kleineren Blättern, betitelt: Collectanea de Ericae genere.Translation: Lot 627. Ericetum Africanum . 40 superb copper engravings on large paper in fol. without text. A completely unknown unpublished work by A. v. Royen.

Each plate is provided with the name and critical analysis of the depicted plants in the hand of the author. In addition, a manuscript by the author of 28 folio pages and very many smaller sheets, entitled: Collectanea de Ericae genere’.

information of this set that is added to the proof of plate I, David had the dirty copper plates cleaned and had them printed in 1772. On these proofs, he wrote his observations and the Linnaean name of the species. Besides, he also copied on the proofs the corrections that Adriaan had made in the past on his set of proofs (now in Naturalis) ( Fig. 44 , 45 ).

Somehow, two sets of plate proofs commissioned by Adriaan van Royen in the early 1740s and the copper plates, which were not mentioned in the catalogue, came into the hands of Friedländer, who had organised the auction of Wallroth’s library in 1859. In 1874 Friedländer offered both sets for sale. On one set there was no text, on the other set the names had been written by Adriaan (Friedländer 1874: 417). 74 From the

74 Catalogue description:Royen,A.v., Ericetum Africanum ,s. icones Ericearum Africae. 40 tabulae aeneae sine textu. (c. 1740.) 4. Opus ineditum. 4. Mit beigefügten Bestimmungen der Abbildungen von der Hand A. v. Royen’s. 8.

75 Catalogue description (Friedländer 1871): van Royen, Adrian, Ericetum Africanum s. icones Ericearum Africae. 40 tabulae aeneae hucusque ineditae. 4 M. Diese vortrefflich gestochenen Kupferplatten sind im Jahre 1859 aufgefunden und publicirt worden.

Catalogue description (Russell 1881:524):Royen, A. van ,(Prof.d.Botanik in Leiden, Ericetum Africanum s. icones Ericearum Africae. 40 tabulae aëneae hucusque ineditae. 4°. * 12 M. Diese vortrefflich gestochenen Kupferplatten sind im J. 1858 aufgefunden und von uns publicirt worden. Catalogue description (Russell 1891: 966): Royen, Prof. A. V, Ericetum africanum , s. icones Ericearum Africae. C. 1760. (40 tab. aeri incisae.) 4º. * 20 M. (Abdrücke von d. Orig. - Kupferplatten. Nach Pritzel ein noch unbekanntes Werk.Text existirt nicht. Taf. wurden nach Zeichngn.P. Cat- tell’s von J. v. d. Spyk gestochen.

copper plates, Friedländer produced several new sets in quarto, which he offered for sale at least as late until the early 1890s (Russell 1893: 966). 75 These nineteenth-century impressions reached many libraries, including that of Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts), Natural History Museum, London, the University Library in Vienna and the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The only post 1753 set of proofs was printed in 1772. On these prints David van Royen added the latest Linnaean names in manuscript. We therefore conclude that Ericetum Africanum has no nomenclatural significance.

Figures

Fig. 42 Original drawing made by the Leiden painter and draughtsman Pieter Cattel. It has served as an exemple for plate X of the planned Ericetum Africanum (see Fig. 43, 44). (Naturalis icones collection; L.2097367).

Fig. 44 Later proof of plate I for Ericetum Africanum printed in 1772 (Leipzig University Library, Ms 2848). Engraving made by Johannes van der Spyk after a drawing by Pieter Cattel with a note about the provenance written by David van Royen. He also copied Adriaan van Royen’s Dutch corrections (‘Correctiones quas suis prototypis adscripsit belgice Cl.A.v.R.’) he had made in the earlier proofs (see Fig.43).The name Erica cerinthoides L. (Ericaceae) was published by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum (1762).

Fig. 45 Proof of plate X for Ericetum Africanum printed in 1772 (Leipzig University Library, Ms 2848). Engraving made by Johannes van der Spyk after a drawing by Pieter Cattel. The name Erica plukenetii L. (Syst. Veg. 1774) (Ericaceae), was written by David van Royen,who also added his own observations, A flower and a leaf David had sent to Thunberg (‘florem a et semiverticillum foliosum ad Thunb. Misi’).