Archibald Menzies (/ˈmɪŋɪs/MING-iss; 15 March 1754[1] – 15 February 1842) was a Scottishsurgeon,botanist andnaturalist. He spent many years at sea, serving with theRoyal Navy, private merchants, and theVancouver Expedition.
During his naval expeditions, he assembled the most extensive collection of extra-Europeanlichen specimens of the 18th century, significantly contributing to the field oflichenology. He was the first recorded European to reach the summit of the HawaiianvolcanoMauna Loa and introduced themonkey puzzle tree (Chile pine) to England.
Menzies was born at Easter Stix (or Styx) in the parish ofWeem, inPerthshire, Scotland.[2] While working with his elder brother William at theRoyal Botanic Gardens, he drew the attention ofDr John Hope, professor ofbotany atEdinburgh University, who encouraged him to studymedicine there. Having qualified as asurgeon, Menzies served as assistant to a doctor inCaernarvon, Wales, then joined theRoyal Navy as assistant surgeon onHMS Nonsuch.[3] Present atBattle of the Saintes (12 April 1782), in peacetime Menzies served on Halifax Station inNova Scotia.[4]
In 1786 Menzies was appointed surgeon on board thePrince of Wales (CaptainJames Colnett), on a fur-trading voyage roundCape Horn to the northern Pacific.[4] This ship, in company ofPrincess Royal (Captain Duncan), visited North America, China, and Hawaii (the Sandwich Isles) several times; Menzies collected a number of new plants on this voyage, and also ensured that none of the crew died of illness.[5] Menzies returned to Great Britain in 1789. He was elected a fellow of theLinnean Society in 1790.[4]
From 1791 until 1795, Menzies was appointed as naturalist to accompany CaptainGeorge Vancouver onhis voyage around the world onHMSDiscovery. When the surgeon fell ill, Menzies took over his duties. He collected many specimens of plants and animals during the voyage, returning them to the UK. He also made a detailed record of the voyage.[6][7]
In 1794, whileDiscovery spent one of three winters inHawaii, Menzies, with LieutenantJoseph Baker and two other men, made the first recorded ascent toMokuaweoweo, the summit ofMauna Loa. Menzies used a portablebarometer to measure the height of the mountain as 13,564 feet (4,134 m) compared to its currently known height of 13,679 feet (4,169 m).[8]
It would be forty years before another European, fellow ScotsmanDavid Douglas, would reach the summit on 29 January 1834.[6]
In 1795, Menzies was served the seeds of the Chile pine,Araucaria araucana, as a dessert while dining with the Viceroy of Chile. He was able to pop some seeds into his pocket and grow them onboard ship on the way back to Europe, and returned to England with five healthy plants, the first seen in Britain.[9] Known as the Monkey Puzzle tree, the Chile pine became a favourite in most formal gardens of the nineteenth century.
After the voyage, Menzies served with the Navy in theWest Indies. He received the degree of M.D. at theUniversity of Aberdeen in 1799. After retiring from the Navy he became a doctor and surgeon atNotting Hill, London.[4] He became the father of the Linnean Society upon the death ofAylmer Bourke Lambert.[10]
Menzies's wife died in 1836. They had no children. Menzies himself died in London on 15 February 1842 and is buried inKensal Green cemetery.[10]
Menzies's name is commemorated in the scientific names of several of the plants he discovered, includingMenziesia, a genus ofshrubs in theEricaceae, and theDouglas firPseudotsuga menziesii, the most commercially important tree in western North America.[12] ThePacific madrone, an evergreen tree and largest of theEricaceae, was namedArbutus menziesii in his honour byFriedrich Pursh.[citation needed] Similarly,John Edward Gray named the most common species of freshwater mussel in New Zealand,Echyridella menziesii, after Menzies.[13][14]
Also named for Menzies, in a corrupted form as adapted by theNuxalk people of theBella Coola area of theCentral Coast of British Columbia, is "Bensins Island", as recorded byAlexander Mackenzie during his visit there shortly after Vancouver's ship visited the area.[15]
TheAinapo Trail he used to climb Mauna Loa is also known as "Menzies Trail".[16] One of the principal streets surrounding theLegislative Assembly of British Columbia inVictoria, British Columbia is named Menzies Street. There is also a main logging road on Vancouver Island known as Menzies Main.
Many of the specimens collected by Menzies are planted in London'sKew Gardens. He also brought back to London 112 separate collections of artefacts, which are housed at theBritish Museum. A comprehensive catalogue of these collections was not published until 1951.[17]
Menzies made significant contributions to the field oflichenology through his extensive collections oflichens during his naval career. Between 1784 and 1802, he amassed the most comprehensive collection of extra-European lichentaxa of the 18th century. His specimens came from diverse locations, includingNova Scotia,Staten Island, the west coast of North America,Sumatra, theCape of Good Hope, New Zealand,Tahiti, Hawaii, andSaint Helena. Many of these collections represented first discoveries andtype specimens, with 17 of the 194 species he collected being types.[18]
The importance of Menzies's lichen collections was not fully recognised until long after his death. His specimens were distributed to various contemporary botanists and are now housed in several majorherbaria, including theRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, theLinnean Society of London, and theNatural History Museum, London. Menzies's work laid the foundation for future studies in lichenbiodiversity, particularly in North America and the Southern Hemisphere. His collections were studied by prominent lichenologists of the time, includingErik Acharius, whoformally described 15 new species based on Menzies's specimens.[18]
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