IN03 – William Roxburgh

Stitchers: Kamaladevi Embroidery Centre: Bina Det & Bobby Dey – Kolkata

After training at Edinburgh University, William Roxburgh went as a surgeon to the eastern coast of India where he ran an experimental garden for useful plants at Samalkot. Here he started to describe Indian plants with drawings by local artists, leading to his great works Flora Indica and the Plants of the Coast of Coromandel, earning him the title ‘Father of Indian Botany’. Here he also discovered the plant which now bears his name, Roxburghia gloriosoides. In 1793 Roxburgh went to run the Calcutta Botanic Garden, where he built the house shown here, which still stands in the garden today.

IN03 Athair Luibh-eòlais nan Ìnnseachan
An dèidh trèanadh ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, chaidh Uilleam Roxburgh mar lannsair gu oirthir an ear nan Ìnnseachan, far an robh e a’ ruith gàrradh deuchainneach airson lusan feumail ann an Samalkot. An seo, thòisich e a’ dèanamh iomradh air planntrais Ìnnseanach le deilbh air an tarraing le luchd-ealain ionadail, a’ leantainn air adhart gu na h-obraichean mòra aige, Flora Indica agus Plants of the Coast of Coromandel, a choisinn an tiotal ‘Father of Indian Botany’ dha. An seo cuideachd lorg e Roxburghia gloriosoides, an lus air a bheil ainm fhèin a-nis. Ann an 1793, chaidh Roxburgh a ruith Gàrradh Lusan Calcutta far an do thog e an taigh a chithear an seo, agus a tha ann gus an latha an-diugh.