Background
He was born at Kingston-on-Thames in 1890, and was apparently orphaned aged only four and later raised by his aunt Emma.
He was born at Kingston-on-Thames in 1890, and was apparently orphaned aged only four and later raised by his aunt Emma.
Within the Gardens the Roland Edgar Cooper Collection stems from his own work. A number of species found by him bear the name Cooperi. A large number of Rhododendrons collected by Cooper continue to grow in the Gardens.
Her husband, William Wright Smith, later became Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, creating Roland"s link to his future role.
This was aided by the local collector and plant expert, Rohmoo Lapcha. He then came to Edinburgh to undertake a Horticulture course at the Royal Botanic Garden.
He again explored Sikkim and in 1914-1915 returned to Bhutan, before exploring the Punjab in 1916. In the second half of the First World War, he served as an officer with the 1st Gurkha Rifles in north-west India.
He was later attached to the Royal Flying Corps and stationed at Alexandria, Egypt in 1918-1919.
Staying mentally attached to the Indian subcontinent, he took on the role of Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens at Maymo in the Shan Hills of Burma in 1921. In 1930 he returned to Edinburgh as Assistant Curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens. In 1934, he became full Curator (Head Keeper) of the Gardens.
During the early 1930s, he was also responsible for laying out the grounds of Astley Ainslie Hospital.
During this period (1930-1954) fellow botanist John Macqueen Cowan worked alongside Cooper. In 1942 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Scotland.
He died at Southend-on-Sea on 31 January 1962, aged 71. The standard author transcript R.E.Cooper is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.
Primula calderiana Balf.f.
& R.E.Cooper
Primula xanthopia Balf.f. & R.E.Cooper
Rhododendron agripeplum Balf.f. & R.E.Cooper
Rhododendron papillatum Balf.f.
& R.E.Cooper
Parnassia cooperi West.E.Evans
Pedicularis cooperi P.C.Tsoong
Poa cooperi Noltie
Primula cooperi Balf.f.
Rubus cooperi Doctorate.G.Long.