Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and Andes: Being Records of Travel on the Amazon and Its Tributaries, the Trombetas, Rio Negro, Uaupés, Casiquiari, Pacimoni, Huallaga and PastasaHaving previously embarked on a collecting expedition to the Pyrenees, backed by Sir William Hooker and George Bentham, the botanist Richard Spruce (1817-93) travelled in 1849 to South America, where he carried out unprecedented exploration among the diverse flora across the northern part of the continent. After his death, Spruce's writings on fifteen fruitful years of discovery were edited as a labour of love by fellow naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913), whom Spruce had met in Santarém. This two-volume work, first published in 1908, includes many of the author's exquisite illustrations. Showing the determination to reach plants in almost inaccessible areas, Spruce collected hundreds of species, many with medicinal properties, notably the quinine-yielding cinchona tree, as well as the datura and coca plants. Volume 1 contains Wallace's biographical introduction and a list of Spruce's published works. The narrative includes discussion of Pará, Santarém, and the Negro and Orinoco rivers. |
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abundant afterwards Amazon Amazon valley ascending bank bark Barra BARRA DO RIO Bentham boat botanical botanist branches Brazil caatinga cachaça called campo canoe Casiquiari cataracts cauim caxoeira Cerro clad collections dance Esmeralda excursions fall farinha feet high Ferns fish flowers forest fronds fruit Ganthorpe gapó gathered genus George Bentham granite Guainia hammock height Hepaticæ igarapé Inajá Indians islands Journal lake leaves letter Manaquirý mandiocca Maypures miles milreis montaria months morning mosses mountain mouth nearly night Obidos Orinoco Pacimoni palms Panuré Pará passed plants pueblo racemes rain reached Richard Spruce Rio Negro river rocks roots round San Carlos Santarem Sao Gabriel Sao Jeronymo scarcely season seen Senhor serra shore shrubs side sipós sitio Solimoes sometimes South species specimens Spruce stems Tapajoz Tapuya traveller trees Trombetas trunk twiners Uanauacá Uaupés vegetation Venezuela voyage yellow