Event Description
Jane Colden (1724-1760) has been called America's first woman botanist, yet her contributions to early description of American botany remain little known, and her writing mostly unpublished. This account drawn from the letters of her father, Dr. Cadwallader Colden, chronicles her life on his then-remote farm, his introduction to her botanic studies, and her gathering over 300 plant descriptions that comprise her work, known now as the Botanic Manuscript. Her entries, offered here by a seasonal view, March through October, gives her own voice through detailed plant descriptions and comments that include outspoken correction of the great botanist Linnaeus. A full list of her plants adds the current botanical names. The book—Jane Colden's Botanic Manuscript—is richly illustrated with Jane’s own handwriting and leaf sketches, with color given by current flower photographs, plus further historical images. Though no plant has yet been named for her, this book recognizes her legacy as one of America's great early botanists.
Event Speaker
Fenella Heckscher, author
Event Information
Free and open to the public; registration required. For more information, please visit the event webpage.
Hosted by the American Philosophical Society.
