Background
Schomburgk was born in Freyburg, Saxony, the son of Johann Friedrich Ludwig Schomburgk (a Lutheran minister in Thuringia), and his wife Christiane Juliane Wilhelmine, née Krippendorf.
Schomburgk was born in Freyburg, Saxony, the son of Johann Friedrich Ludwig Schomburgk (a Lutheran minister in Thuringia), and his wife Christiane Juliane Wilhelmine, née Krippendorf.
Schomburgk studied botany at Berlin and in the Royal Gardens at Potsdam.
He collected for the Museum of the University of Berlin. After the political turmoil in Europe in 1848, he emigrated to Gawler, South Australia. In 1865, he became Director of the Adelaide Botanic Garden, a position he kept until his death and was succeeded by Maurice William Holtze.
He wrote Versuch einer Zusammenstellung der Flora und Fauna von Britisch-Guiana (1848).
A sister, Caroline Schomburgk ( – 15 November 1874), was the second wife of Review Doctor Carl Wilhelm Ludwig Muecke (16 July 1815 – 4 January 1898) of Tanunda.
A son, Otto Schomburgk (ca1858 – 1 September 1938), held several important posts such as Chief Probation Officer with the South Australian public service.