George Bentham ( 1800 - 1884 )

There were many important workers in orchidology after Lindley's death: Reichenbach , Cogniaux , and others. Their works contributed much to the expanding knowledge concering the Orchidaceae , but George Bentham was the first to publish , in 1881 the first of the modern systems of orchid classification . Bentham maintained what became known as the " idealistic " approach to plant classification -the first tribe arbitrarily representing that which is closet to the perfect orchid, with the less perfect forms in other tribes and subtribes in descending order. Bentham remained firm in traditional methodology , even when Charles Darwin's influence was strongly in taxonomy and the evolutionary concept.

George Bentham was born on 22 September 1800 , at Stroke , near Portsmouth , England . His father was General Sir Samuel Bentham ,then inspector of all the royal dockyards. While a boy, young Bentham lived for a period in St. Petersburg , Russia , where he became fluent in the Russian language . From 1814 to about 1826 he lived with his family near Motpellier , France . His interest in botany began there, where he examined the wild plants of Angouleme and Montauban and , afterward , he hid further research into the flora of the Pyrenees.

As a result of his excursions alone and with Dr. Walker -Arnott, Requien , and Sudibert , his first work , A Catalogue of Plants Indigenous to the Pyreness and Bas Languedoc , was laid on the verification of the original type specimens , a point which at that time was not judged particularly important . This was a source of aggravation of Bentham , who vigorously disapproved of the " extreme multiplication of badly defined species" -which led him to redescibe the French species of Cerastium , Orobanche , and Helianthemum . This led to protests and adverse criticism , but Bentham was adamant , stating that " if I have ventured to differ from that learned botanist (Dunal) , as to the number of species (of Helianthemum ) , it is because I have observed on living specimens that the characters upon which they have been established are very variable and too intricate not to introduce yet greater confusion into this difficult genus." In reference to such variation ,Bentham insisted on the impropriety of affixing separate names of to accidental or minor variations, and advocate that no names should be given to a variety unless a permanent change occurred that no names should be given to a variety unless a permanent change occurred in numerous individual plants , of which a regular series of intermediate forms would demonstrate the connection with the primitive species .

On the return to England in 1826 Bentham at first concentrated on studying law but shortly gave up legal interests and devoted himself exclusively to botany . He became associated with the Royal Horticultural Society at a time when that organization was receiving a great many new species amd genera from the collectors it had despatched to numerous foreign areas. Thus it was that he me John Lindley , with whom a most congenial friendship developed .Together they undertook the introduction and determination of the many new plants received from David Douglas , Karl Hartweg, and others.

Bentham was secretary to the society from 1829 to 1840 ,and it was during his secretariat that the famous Chiswick fetes were begun . The first exhibition was held in the society's garden in 1833. For the occasion a tent 150 by 100 feet in diameter was purchased , and it is recorded that 1700 people attended .

From that time on Bentham devoted his time to elaborating monographs of genera and orders , or preparing floras of various contries . In this work he gradually accumulated a large herbarium and library which was of inestimable aid in his research . In 1854 he donated this improvement assemblage to the nation with the condition that it be made available to the public and that be provided the failities at Kew to continue his complications . There , day after day , he labored determinedly over his monographs , allowing himself little relaxation beyond his annual trips ,usually spent on the Continent . Even then much of his time was taken by visits to and study in botanical establishments .

Bentham frequently contributed to Sir William Hooker's botanical publications . Two major works entrusted to him were the preparation of the Flora of Hong Kong and Flora Australiensis , the latter being a seven -volume work in which he was assisted by Ferinand Mueller , government botanist fo Victoria , Australia . This first complete account of the Australian orchids totaled 129 pages.

Investigations into the flora of the greater part of the world and numerous monographs of genera and orders , together with his constant association with the leading botanists of Europe-plus his powers as a linguist -all combined to make him especially qualified to undertake a Genera Plantarum . He was undimayed by the magnitude of the task before him ; in conjuntion with Sir Joseph Hooker ,the publication of the work was begun in 1862 . Though each author was apportioned equal shares of the work , Bentham undertook some of the most laborious portions so as to lighten Hooker's labors and relieve him of anxiety as to their mutual progress. They were not content with condenstions of preceding descriptions ; instead , they examined and compared every genus of which there were specimens in the herbarium , adjusting synonymy , collating descriptions published by others , and furnishing references to the literature -thus forming a meaningful and magnificent work, completed in April 1883 . Included was an amplification of Bentham's system of the Orchidaceae , published earlier . Only five tribes were included in it ,with the addition of subtribes and genera :

Tribe I. Epidendreae (nine subtribes)

Tribe II. Vandeae (eight subtribes)

Tribe III. Neottieae (six subtribes)

Tribe IV . Ophrydeae (four subtribes)

Tribe V. Cypripedieae (no subtribes)

During the course of its publication Bentham wrote and published various lengthy notes and commentaries in the Journal of the Linnean Society in which he discussed the structure, affinities ,and geographical distribution of many of the orders at greater length than the plan of the Genera allowed.

For more than twenty years Bentham labored incessantly at his work. An example of the diligence so characteristic of the man is quoted from the Gardener's Chronicle of September 1884:

Late one afternoon , at the end of a week , when most of the officials were thinking of concluding their labours of the day ,Bentham came to the end of his revisions of the Orchids- a task that had occupied him for many consecutive months. Without taking pause , as most people would have done after the accoplishment of such a task ,Bentham simply summoned an attendant , and requested that the Gramineae - the grasses- might be brought to him , and then and there he entered upon another task before whose magnitude and intricacy most then would recoil.

Of a quiet and retiring nature, Bentham shunned rather than sought acclaim . He was little known except by his judged him reserved to the point of being brusque and cold. Actually , he was warm-hearted and generous; not only his time , but his own private sunds were placed at the society's disposal , and all his efforts seemed directed in securing its prosperity and usefulness. He accepted the presidency of the society in 1861, devoting himself to the advancement of its causes for thirteen years. No detail was too trivial to merit his consideration . As well as the duties of president ,he shared largely in the work of the secretary , treasurer, librarian , and editor . In this position ,his philosophic mind and business tact established him as more than merely a systematic botanist . His theories relating to the life history of organized beings, hybridisim, dimophism ,and geographic and geological distribution , elicited much scientific controversy in the face of the Darwinian theories , but his persistence and quiet temperament added persuasive argument to his ideas.

The honors conferred upon Benthan came late in his life and had to be pressed upon him. Only after several years was he persuaded to be come a Fellow of the Royal Medal. He was also a member of the Institute of France and was associated with most of the scientific organizations of the world . His name is perpetuated in a number of plants, among them the orchid genera Benthamia and Neobenthamia .

It was no great suprise , though it caused utmost sorrow, that he died in his eighty -fourth year on 10 September 1884. His old friend ,Sir Joseph Hooker , was president in his side during hsi last hours .

References

Dillon , Gordon W. 1957 .Development of a system of orchid classification. Gardener's Chronicle. 1884 . Mr. George Bentham .Vol. 22, nos. 559 , 560 .White C.T. 1940 . A history of Australian orchids . Aus . Orch. Rev. 5, no.4.