Book

Author

Gilbert, Lionel

Title

The Orchid Man: the Life, Work and Memoirs of the Rev. H.M.R. Rupp (1872-1956)

Imprint

Kangaroo Press, Kenthurst (N.S.W.), 1992, 248 pp

ISBN/ISSN

9780864174154

Subject

History of Natural Sciences Biological Sciences

Format

Print

Contains

Image

Description

Published with financial support of the Australian Orchid Foundation and the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.

Part I is Gilbert's biography of Rupp, Part II is Rupp's memoirs edited by Gilbert. Illustrated with many of Rupp's fine line drawings of orchids.

Abstract

From the blurb:
"Montague Rupp, clergyman and botanist, was born at Port Fairy , Victoria. He was sent in 1884 to the Junior Grammar School, Geelong, conducted by his uncle, Alfred Rowcroft. Rupp won a scholarship to Trinity College, University of Melbourne (B .A., 1897) and won further scholarships in natural history and theology. Rupp was ordained priest in 1901 and held many appointments in Tasmania and NSW where he travelled widely.

Rupp had begun recording his botanical observations and specimens in 1892, and from 1899 made 'a census of the native plants' of his parishes. By 1924 he considered that it was time to 'concentrate on the family which had always
attracted me most-the orchids' and gave some 5000 other specimens to the University of Melbourne's botany school. During the next thirty years Rupp published over 200 papers, chiefly on orchids, including descriptions of four new genera and over seventy new species. He wrote two authoritative books, a "Guide to the Orchids of New South Wales" (1930) and "The Orchids of New South Wales" (1943 ; reissued with supplement, 1969).

In retirement Rupp lived in Sydney, cultivating native orchids, writing about them and working as honorary curator of orchids at the National Herbarium of New South Wales, to which he presented his own collection of 1500 specimens representing some 470 species.

Rupp ('pronounced Rupe') was a friendly jovial man, who long retained a youthful appearance and enthusiasm. In the best tradition of the nineteenth-century clergyman-scientist, he was generous with his means , time and knowledge , a tireless investigator, and a fluent correspondent whose letters were spiced with a delightful sense of humour. He wrote that one 'of life's pleasures for me is corresponding with orchidy folks', including R .S. Rogers and W.H. Nicholls."

Source

Carlson 1992

Related entries

People

• Gilbert, Lionel Arthur (1924 - 2015)
• Rupp, Herman Montague Rucker (1872 - 1956)