Based on the history of botanical exploration before Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837, the most important plant collectors were primarily explorers, physicians, and gardener-botanists who established the foundations of modern horticulture and plant taxonomy.
Here are 20 of the most important plant collectors before the Victorian era:
John Tradescant the Elder (c. 1570–1638): Collected in Russia, North Africa, and Europe; introduced many plants from Virginia, USA, to England.
John Tradescant the Younger (1608–1662): Continued his father's work, bringing back magnolias, tulip trees, and phlox from Virginia.
Carolus Clusius (1526–1609): Flemish botanist who introduced the tulip to the Netherlands and established one of the first botanical gardens at Leiden.
Hans Sloane (1660–1753): British physician whose extensive, detailed collections from Jamaica formed the basis of the British Museum and Kew Gardens.
Sir Joseph Banks (1743–1820): Accompanied Captain Cook on the Endeavour, later managing Kew Gardens and organizing global collecting expeditions.
Francis Masson (1741–1805): Kew's first official plant hunter; collected over 500 species in South Africa, Madeira, and the Caribbean.
David Douglas (1799–1834): Scottish botanist who introduced hundreds of plants from the Pacific Northwest, including the Douglas fir.
Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859): Explored the Americas (1799–1804), collecting thousands of plants and laying the foundations for plant geography.
Carl Peter Thunberg (1743–1828): A "disciple" of Linnaeus who collected extensively in South Africa and Japan, documenting new species.
André Michaux (1746–1802): French botanist who traveled widely in North America, introducing many American species to Europe.
George Caley (1770–1829): English botanist sent by Banks to New Holland (Australia) in 1800 to collect plants and seeds.
Robert Brown (1773–1858): Accompanied Matthew Flinders to Australia (1801-1803), describing thousands of new species.
Pehr Kalm (1716–1779): Linnaean disciple who spent years in North America (1747–51) collecting for European gardens.
Georg Eberhard Rumphius (1627–1702): Documented the flora of the East Indies (Moluccas) for the Dutch East India Company.
Peter Good (d. 1802): Gardener who collected in Australia as an assistant to Robert Brown.
William Baxter (d. c. 1836): English gardener who collected in Australia for private collectors and nurserymen.
Ferdinand Bauer (1760–1826): Botanical painter who collected and documented flora on the Australian expedition with Flinders.
Anthony Pantolean Hove (fl. 1780s): Polish gardener sent to India by Banks to collect plants for Kew.
David Nelson (d. 1789): Botanical collector on Cook’s third voyage and on HMS Bounty.
John Lindley (1799–1865): Although active into the Victorian era, his foundational work on orchids and taxonomy began before 1837.