Robert Sweet (botanist)

Robert Sweet (1783–20 January 1835) was an English botanist, horticulturist and ornithologist.

Born at Cockington near Torquay, Devonshire, England in 1783, Sweet worked as a gardener from the age of sixteen, and became foreman or partner in a series of nurseries. He was associated with nurseries at Stockwell, Fulham and Chelsea. In 1812 he joined Colvills, the famous Chelsea nursery, and was elected a fellow of the Linnean Society. By 1818 he was publishing horticultural and botanical works.

He published a number of beautifully illustrated works on plants cultivatd in British gardens and hothouses. The fine plates were mainly drawn by Edwin Dalton Smith, a botanical artist, who was attached to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. His works include "Hortus Suburbanus Londinensis" (1818), "Geraniaceae" (five volumes) (1820–30), "Cistineae", "Sweet's Hortus Britannicus" (1826–27), "Flora Australasica" (1827–28) and "British Botany" (with H. Weddell) (1831). He died at Chelsea, London in January 1835.

He was charged with receiving a batch of plants allegedly stolen from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. It was suggested that this was an attempt to frame him by an official at Kew whom Sweet had criticised. He was acquitted after a well-publicised trial.

Robert Sweet received high praise from his contemporaries at his trial and was described as possibly the first practical botanist.

Publications

*"The British Flower Garden : coloured figures & descriptions of the most ornamental & curious hardy herbaceous plants" Robert Sweet, drawings by Edwin Dalton Smith. (W. Simpkin and R. Marshall, London 1823-1829)
*"British Warblers"

Sweet is the author of a number of plants, including:
* "Abutilon auritum" (Link) Sweet
* "Abutilon grandifolium" (Willd.) Sweet
* "Abutilon indicum" (Link) Sweet
Indian Lantern Flower
* "Agonis flexuosa" (Willd.) Sweet
Peppermint
* "Argemone ochroleuca" Sweet
Mexican Poppy
* "Babiana angustifolia" Sweet
* "Banksia dryandroides" Sweet
Dryandra-leaved Banksia
* "Callistemon glaucus" (Bonpl.) Sweet
* "Coreopsis grandiflora" Sweet
American Tickseed
* "Cyanotis axillaris" (L.) Sweet
* "Dillwynia pungens" (Sweet) Benth.
* "Hakea ferruginea" Sweet
* "Hovea chorizemifolia" (Sweet) DC.
Holly-leaved Hovea
* "Ipomoea cairica" (L.) Sweet
Coast Morning Glory
* "Lablab purpureus" (L.) Sweet
Lablab Bean
* "Lachenalia mutabilis" Sweet
* "Moraea flaccida" Sweet
One-leaf Cape Tulip
* "Orthrosanthus multiflorus" Sweet
Morning Iris
* Penaeaceae Sweet ex Guillemin
* "Senna barclayana" (Sweet) Randell
* "Sphenotoma gracile" (R.Br.) Sweet
Swamp Paper-heath
* "Wahlenbergia stricta" (R.Br.) Sweet
Austral Bluebell

References

*cite book|author=Hall, Norman|year=1978|title=Botanists of the Eucalypts|publisher=CSIRO, Melbourne|id=ISBN 0-643-00271-5

External links

* [http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/exhibits/hort/botany.htm University of Delaware Library]

Persondata
NAME=Sweet, Robert
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=botanist
DATE OF BIRTH=1783
PLACE OF BIRTH=Cockington, Devonshire, England
DATE OF DEATH=20 January 1835
PLACE OF DEATH=Chelsea, London