His early interest in natural history was stimulated by Hooker's newly published Handbook of the New Zealand
flora (1864),
and as well as book learning, he made many botanical excursions in the Auckland area.
In 1867 Cheeseman sent a native orchid to Sir Joseph Hooker at Kew, for identification. Hooker named it
Corysanthes
cheesemanii (now Corybas cheesemanii); it was the first of sixteen plant species from New
Zealand and Raratonga to
be named after him. Cheeseman continued to correspond with Hooker, who passed
on his orchid observations,
including
that of the unique pollination system of Pterostylis, to Charles Darwin.
Cheeseman's botanical work was becoming well known - two of his papers had already been published -
and in 1874
he was appointed secretary of the Auckland Institute and curator of the museum, a position he
held for fifty years.
He botanised widely in the North and South Islands, often during his vacations, and also accompanied expeditions
to
Raratonga, the Kermadec Islands and Three Kings, building up a large and comprehensive herbarium.
In 1889 Thomas Cheeseman married Rosetta (Rose) Keesing, the daughter of a prominent Auckland family.
Photos of him show a fully bearded, balding man with a kindly face. He had a reputation for punctuality, and
was said
to be
relaxed and patient with young people and those wanting to learn, at times revealing an innate
sense of humour,
but could be
remote - or even abrupt on occasions - if confronted by pomposity.
During his career Cheeseman published numerous scientific articles, mainly on botany, but also on zoology and ethnology.
His Manual of the New Zealand flora, commissioned by the government in 1900, was published in 1906.
Following this major work, he edited the two-volume Illustrations of the New Zealand flora, which appeared in 1914.
His many distinguished awards include the Hector Memorial Medal and Prize in 1918, and in 1923 the prestigious
gold medal of the Linnean Society.
Unfortunately he did not live to see the fulfillment of his plans for a new Auckland War Memorial Museum.
It opened in 1929. Thomas Cheeseman had a heart attack and died at his Remuera home on 15 October 1923,
survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.
Corybas cheesemanii (Kirk) Kuntze Rev. Gen. Plant. 6:657 (1891)
The tops of the dorsal sepals look like pearls sprinkled in the forest floor litter, and sometimes they are all that can
be seen of the orchid.
Lateral sepals reduced to small needles, lateral petals similar in the south but often hidden behind spurs in the north.
Two closed spurs on the labellum determine this as NZ's only Corybas.
Pellucid flower stem rises to 200mm with ovoid capsule symmetrically on top and green leaf still below in November
to December.
Favours litter beneath kanuka, taraire or beech. Lowland.
Flowers May to August.
Distribution: 3K, N, S, Ch.
Conservation status: Not threatened.
Note: Largely fungus-dependent. |
