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Species First Described, Collected

or Illustrated by William Bartram


During his travels William Bartram collected many new plants. As explained elsewhere in this publication, very few of his names became accepted by the scientific community for a variety of reasons.


In the Travels William Bartram compiled the most complete list of Birds in North America at the time and he was certainly the first naturalist to describe many of the native Southern and neotropical birds. Unfortunately his record as an originator of ornithological names has been worse than for botanical names. For a more complete discussion of William Bartram’s position in the history of American ornithology see Francis Harper’ Naturalist Edition.


 Below is a list of species that could have been attributed to William Bartram. This list has been gleaned from Francis Harper’s work and is open to suggestions or corrections, especially the list of birds. It is organized alphabetically by common name.

*Indicates species for which Bartram is the authority.


Plants
Latin name Common name Bartram’s name
Magnolia macrophylla Big Leaf Magnolia Magnolia auriculata
Aesculus parviflora Bottlebrush Buckeye Aesculus alba
Sabal palmetto Cabbage Palm/Palmetto Corypha palma
Kalmia hirsuta Calico Bush Kalmia ciliata
*Aesculus sylvatica Carolina Buckeye Aesculus sylvatica
Nemastylis floridana Celestial Lily Ixia Caelestina
Prunus angustifolia Chickasaw Plum Prunus chickasaw
Aster carolinianus Climbing Aster Aster fructicosus
Heracleum lanatum Cow Parsnip Heracleum maximum
*Quercus hemisphaerica Darlington Oak Quercus hemispherica
*Serenoa repens Dwarf Saw Palmetto Corypha repens
Asimina parviflora Dwarf Pawpaw Annona pigmea
Pinckneya pubens Fevertree Bignonia bracteata
Rhododendron calendulaceum Flame Azalea Azalea flammula
Ceratiola ericoides Florida Rosemary Empetrum album
*Franklinia alatamaha Franklinia Franklinia alatamaha
Magnolia fraseri Fraser Magnolia Magnolia ariculata
Garberia fructicosa Garberia Cacalia heterophylla
Elliottia racemosa Georgia Plume none
Hypericum frondosum Golden St. Johns Wort Hypericum aureum
Sarracenia minor Hooded Pitcher Plant Saracinia lacunosa
Lupinus villosus Lady Lupine Lupinus breunis
*Oenothera grandiflora Large Flowered Evening Primrose Oenothera grandiflora
Rhododendron minus Lesser Rose Bay Rhododendron ferrugineum
Stewartia ovata Mountain Camellia Stewartia montana
*Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia
*Myrica inodorata Odorless Wax Myrtle Myrica inodorata
*Nyssa Ogeche Ogeechee Lime Nyssa Ogeeche
Leucothoe populifolia Pipewood Andromeda formosissima
Asclepias humistrata Purple Milkweed Asclepsias carnosa
*Magnolia pyramidata Pyramid Magnolia Magnolia Pyramidata
Hymenocallis coronaria Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Pancratium fluitans
*Roystonea elata Royal Palm Palma elata
Sabatia grandifloria Savannah Pink Chironia pulcherrima
Sebastiana ligustrina Sebastian Bush Stillingia fructicosa
Asimina incana Showy Pawpaw Annona incana
Cleome houteanna Spider Flower Cleome lupinifolia
Befaria racemosa Tarflower Kalmia spuria
*Quercus incana Upland Willow Oak/Blue Jack Quercus incana
Ilex vomitoria Yaupon Holly Cassine yapon
Illicium parviflorum Yellow Anise Tree Illisium
Zenobia pulverulenta Zenobia Andromeda pulverulenta

Animals
Latin Name Common Name Bartram’s Name
Botaurus lentiginosus American Bittern Ardea mugitans
Casmerodius albas egretta American Egret Ardea immaculata
Strix varia Barred Owl Strix acclamator
Coragyps atratus Black Vulture Vulture atratus
Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli Black-crowned Night Heron Ardea clamator
Spiza americana Dicksissel Calandra pratensis
Phalacrocorax auritus Double-crested Cormorant Colymbus migratorius
Ixobrychus exilis Eastern Least Bittern Ardea parva
Sylvilacus floridanus Eastern Cottontail Lepus minor
*Grus Canadensis Pratensis Florida Sandhill Crane Grus pratensis
Aramus guarauna Florida Limpkin Tantalus pictus
Phalacrocorax floridanus Florida Cormorant Colymbus Floridanus
Aphelocoma coerulescens Florida Scrub Jay Corvus floridanum
Canis niger Florida Wolf Lupus niger
*Gopherus polyphemus Gopher Tortoise Testudo polyphemus
Aythya marila Greater Scaup Duck Anas subcerulea
Histrionicus histrionicus Harlequin Duck Anas principalis
Anas carolinensis Least Green Winged Teal Anas migratoria
Ictinia Mississippiensis Mississippi Kite Falco subcerulius
Anhinga anhinga Snake Bird, Water Turkey Colymbus columbrinus
Chaenobryttus coronarius Warmouth/Yellow Bream Cyprinus coronarius
Elanus leucurus White Tailed Kite Falco glaucus
Heliconius charitonius Zebra Butterfly