David Douglas

David Douglas (born June 25, 1799, Scone, Perthshire, Scotland—died July 12, 1834, Sandwich [Hawaiian] Islands [now a U.S. state]) was a Scottish botanist who was a traveler and botanical collector in North America and for whom the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii; synonym P. douglasii) and the primrose genus Douglasia are named.

Life and career

Born to John Douglas, a stonemason, and Jean Drummond, Douglas was eager to learn about natural history from his childhood. At age 11 he apprenticed under the head gardener of Scone Palace in Scotland. He later served as a gardener at the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, where he was mentored by the English botanist Sir William Jackson Hooker. On Hooker’s recommendation Douglas was appointed as a plant collector by the Royal Horticultural Society of London in 1823.

Soon after his appointment, Douglas went to the United States in 1823 as a botanical collector at the society’s behest. On this trip he explored New York state and Pennsylvania in the northeastern United States and Ontario (then known as Upper Canada). This was followed by several other botanical expeditions, especially to the North American Far West. In 1825 he went to Washington—visiting Brazil, Chile, and the Galapagos Islands on the way—and traveled inland to Hudson Bay, which he reached in 1827. Along the way he discovered many animal and plant species new to Western science, including what would be named the Douglas fir. From 1830 to 1834 he explored California and the Fraser River region. Douglas also visited Hawaii on this trip and ascended the three volcanic peaks—Mauna Kea, Kilauea, and Mauna Loa—in less than one month. He was found dead in a wild bull trap near Hilo while on this expedition.

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Exploration and Discovery

Legacy and honors

Douglas introduced a substantial number of plants into England during his career, with estimates of 200 to more than 240. These included several species of conifers of silvicultural and economic importance, including the Douglas fir, the Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), the noble fir (Abies procera), the grand fir (Abies grandis), and the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata). In addition to trees and shrubs, he described and introduced many ornamental plants to British horticulture, such as the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum), and the bigleaf lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus). About 80 species of animals and plants are named for him, which include the Douglas fir and the Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii).