Armit, William Edington (1848–1901)
or: Armit, William Edington de Margrat (or de Marguerittes)

An officer of the Queensland Mounted Police who collected in northern Queensland (e.g. Gilbert, Lynd, Herbert and Burdekin Rivers) for F.Mueller.

He left Queensland about 1882 and became an official (Sub-collector of Customs, Resident Magistrate) in New Guinea.  His Queensland collections are in Melbourne (MEL).

Source: extracted from: A.E.Orchard (1999) A History of Systematic Botany in Australia, in Flora of Australia Vol.1, 2nd ed. ABRS. [consult for source references]

Policeman, public servant, explorer, journalist.

Arr. Australia before 1870.

Stockman at Cleveland Bay, Qld, 1871; police sub-inspector & later journalist from June 1872; in July-Sept. 1883 led scientific party to New Guinea (Astrolabe Ra.), then settled at Port Douglas & Cooktown as journalist & naturalist.

Collected in Qld at Newcastle Ra. Nov. 1873, L. Lucy near source of Burdekin R. before 1875, Cashmere Mar. 1875, Robinson R. 1876, on Gilbert, Lynd, Herbert & Burdekin Rivers before 1878, Etheridge R. before 1882, 'Mt Bedford' 1883, Einasleigh R, Endeavour R. 1886, Mt Surprise.

Wrote paper on medicinal plants of NW Qld (J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 20: 69-71, 1883).

In 1893[95?] moved to New Guinea, taking several jobs in public service. Specimens (usually numbered) at BRI, MEL, NSW. Commemorated in Acacia, Bossiaea, Ficus, Goodenia, Eriachne, Polyporus, Sarcochilus.

Source: George, A.S. (2009) Australian Botanist's Companion, Four Gables Press, WA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Edington_Armit
Portrait Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Edington_Armit

Collecting localities for 'Armit, W.E.de.M.' from AVH (2021)

Data from 1,766 specimens