Background
Johannes Burman was the eldest son of the theologian Frans Burman (1671-1719) and his wife Elizabeth Thierens.
(Pp. (xiv), 236, (14); supplement: pp. (ii), 34, (8), 111 ...)
Pp. (xiv), 236, (14); supplement: pp. (ii), 34, (8), 111 full page engraved plates, lacks the frontispiece portrait of Burman. Contemporary half calf leather, spine with five raised bands that lettered in gilt in one compartment, over decorated boards, 4to (27 x 22.5 cm). This is the complete text and the supplement entitled "Catalogi duo Plantarum Fricanarum" bound together in a contemporary binding. From the private library of R.M. Berkhout, forestry commissioner on Java, with his small name stamp on the title page. According to Nissen 303, this is the "first illustrated flora of Ceylon, also of great interest for the flora of South Africa as the supplement contains a list of plants observed at the cape by Professor J. Hermann in 1672." A very rare book, the first to focus entirely on the plants of Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Burman was professor of botany in Amsterdam; he was a friend of Linnaeus who visited his home during the preparation of this book. The plates are quite finely drawn; the Latin text describes the species.
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Botanist physician university professor
Johannes Burman was the eldest son of the theologian Frans Burman (1671-1719) and his wife Elizabeth Thierens.
Their son Nicolaas Laurens Burman was also a botanist and studied under Linné in Uppsala.
Burman specialized in plants from Ceylon, Amboina and Cape Colony. The name Pelargonium was introduced by Johannes Burman. He started his studies in Leiden in 1722 under Herman Boerhaave, and qualified in 1728 as a doctor of medicine, after which he practiced in Amsterdam.
After the death of Frederik Ruysch he was appointed Professor of Botany in Amsterdam.
Johannes Burman was married to Adriana van Buuren. Carl Linnaeus, in 1735 on a trip through Holland, was invited by Burman, carrying a letter of recommendation from Herman Boerhaave.
Burman was impressed by the young man and offered him accommodation in his home on Keizersgracht. Linnaeus was employed by Burman almost six weeks to complete a flora of the plants of Ceylon.
Burman introduced Linnaeus to George Clifford III and Clifford showed them a fantastic book
lieutenant was not in Burman"s collections and Clifford said he could have it in exchange for Linnaeus who was employed to survey the gardens and the menagerie at Hartekamp. Burman was later commemorated by Linné in the genus Burmannia and family Burmanniaceae. Burmann published his book with plants from the Cape Colony based on a collection by Nicolaes Witsen, the work of Caspar Commelin and Simon van der Stel? In his book on Amboinese plants he used the work of Rumphius.
Foreign research and as illustrations on plants from the West-Indies he used the work of the French botanist Charles Plumier.
(Pp. (xiv), 236, (14); supplement: pp. (ii), 34, (8), 111 ...)
German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.