Biographical entry Betche, Ernst (1851 - 1913)

Summary

Ernst Betche was appointed as a botanical collector for the Sydney Botanic Gardens in 1881, botanical assistant in 1897 and later chief botanical assistant. He collected widely in New South Wales and published many papers on systematic botany in Australia.

Details

Born 31 December 1851. Baptised Daniel Ludwig Ernst at Potsdam, near Berlin. Died Sydney, 28 June 1913. Educated Horticultural College, Potsdam. Municipal Gardens, Berlin; volunteer gardener, Ghent, Belgium 1974; collected plants in the South Seas; arrived Sydney 1880; director, Sydney Botanic Gardens 1881-97, botanical assistant from 1897 and later chief botanical assistant. Collaborated with Charles Moore (q.v.) in the "Handbook of the Flora of New South Wales" (1893) and with J.H. Maiden (q.v.) in "A Census of New South Wales Plants" (1916).

Archival resources

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

• Ernst Betche - Records, 1913; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

Published resources

Books

• Maiden, J. H., Sydney Botanic Gardens: biographical notes concerning the officers in charge, Sydney, 1902. Details

Book Sections

• McCormack, Terri, 'Betche, Ernst (1851-1913), botanist', in Douglas Pike (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 3, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1969, p. 158. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A030147b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Froggatt, Walter W., 'The Curators and Botanists of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney.', Royal Australian Historical Society, vol. xviii, III, 1932, pp. 101-133. Details
• Maiden, J.H., 'Records of Australian Botanists', Journal and Proceedings of The Royal Society of New South Wales, vol. lv, 1921, pp. 60-132; 150-169. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Betche, Ernst', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-562230. Details