The extra-European lichen collections of Archibald Menzies MD. FLS (1754–1842)

Abstract

Two hundred years after their gathering, the pioneering lichen collections made by Archibald Menzies between 1784 and 1802 during his career as a naval surgeon are recorded and discussed. The bulk of Menzies's lichens come from three major collection periods: the Halifax Station (Nova Scotia) of 1784–1786; his time as surgeon to James Colnett on the circumnavigation of the Prince of Wales (1786–1789); and his extensive tour as naturalist to Vancouver's Discovery expedition (1791–1795). Menzies's extra-European lichen collections were the most extensive ever made during the 18th century and contain many first discoveries and type collections: (1) Nova Scotia, 16 taxa in 11 genera, 1 type; (2) Staten Island, 32 taxa in 19 genera, 5 types; (3) west coast of North America, 83 taxa in 45 genera, 11 types; (4) Sumatra, 10 taxa in 7 genera; (5) Cape of Good Hope, 30 taxa in 23 genera; (6) New Zealand, 14 taxa in 6 genera; (7) Tahiti, 5 taxa in 4 genera; (8) Hawaii, 25 taxa in 13 genera; (9) St Helena, 10 taxa in 8 genera. Major repositories of Menzies lichens are the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, the Linnean Society of London (James Edward Smith herbarium) and the Natural History Museum, London.