Feedback request: Clinopodium acinos (71.2.2)

[oldnick]

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Specimen #317270

Taxon:	Calamintha arvensis ("Basil Thyme")
Filed in taxon folder:	Calamintha arvensis ("Basil Thyme")
Collection date:	9/8/1879
Locality:	Great Britain, VC17 Surrey, Croydon, Croham Hurst, TQ36
Institution:	University College Dublin (DBC)
Image:
fruits/flowers:	mature flowers

Inferred details are marked.

Documented by kkopp on 22^nd March 2011.

Checked by oldnick

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User comments about this sheet

oldnick wrote

No collector named. I checked to see whether anyone else had collected this species from this site around same date, no joy though

[Roger Horton]

There are over 900 GB sheets from DBC (University College Dublin) many (all?) with taxon in this elegant hand, and the underline ' -"- ', but no collector (but few if any Irish). If this is truly a single collector, rather than a label writer, he flourished 1872 - 1907. He never collected in the cold months (Nov-Feb), and only twice in March, including his last specimen 318718 in 1907 from Penzance. May have been London based as there is a concentration of home-counties locations but also north and into Scotland, plus the West-country, and clearly a visit to the Channel Isles in July 1903. Very occasionally acknowledges others such as 'Smith' and 'Mrs Ross'. You can also get an idea of who this isn't by searching DBC for named collectors!

[oldnick]

Does it not seem unlikely that a herbarium would hold such a huge collection but no note of its origin ......? Might be worth an enquiry?

[oldnick]

Definitely appears to be a single collector, as specimens always come from just one place at any period of time. All are from Britain, none from Ireland. But having looked at quite a few sheets, still no clue as to the collector. The few that are named on this sheets have all contributed but one specimen. There seems some geography in common with Kidston, and Foord; on checking the time periods generally differ by a year or more, but could be enough to suggest they had some contact.

[Roger Horton]

The link with A H Foord might be because an Arthur H. Foord, F.G.S, was assistant secretary/librarian Royal Dublin Society. Foord's 113 h@h specimens, however, collected only from VC 86, 87, 88 (Sterlingshire, West, and Mid Perthshire) 1885-1895, all in DBC ... but his labels say 'Herb. FOORD LONDON'.