Ever wondered who graces this street with their name? Rue Charles Plumier commemorates a man of science and exploration. He was born in Marseille on April 20 1646. Charles Plumier was more than just a local. He was a botanist and a voyager-naturalist.
Plumier’s roots were humble. His parents Jean Plumier and Madeleine Roussel were simple artisans. He received a good education. At 16 he entered the Order of Minims. This was in 1662. He made his profession on December 22 1663.
Plumier dedicated himself to mathematics and physics. He also excelled as a painter. His studies led him to Toulouse. There he studied with Father Magnan. Plumier learned geometry. He also learned to polish lenses for optical instruments.
Later Plumier went to Rome. He studied botany at the monastery of Trinità-dei-Monti. Paolo Silvio Boccone guided him. Back in France he was assigned to the convent of Bormes. He explored Hyères Islands the Midi and Dauphiné. He met Pierre Joseph Garidel. Garidel introduced him to Tournefort. Together they went on botanical excursions. Plumier explored the coasts of Provence and Languedoc alone.
King Louis XIV sought a naturalist to explore the Americas. Michel Bégon chose Plumier. Bégon knew these regions. He had been intendant of the American islands. Plumier’s artistic skill was a bonus. He set off in 1689. Plumier collected specimens and created numerous drawings. A ship carrying his herbarium sank. Only his drawings reached Europe.
The king was pleased. He appointed Plumier royal botanist. In 1693 he returned to the Antilles. He published his first book Description des plantes d’Amérique after this mission.
In 1695 Plumier made a third voyage. He visited Guadeloupe Martinique and Saint-Domingue. He also went to Brazil. There he stayed with Father Jean-Baptiste Labat. In 1703 he published Nova plantarum americanarum genera. He described 106 new genera. Vanilla got its Latin name Vanilla from him.
A fourth voyage proved fatal. The king’s physician wanted to study American quinine. Plumier traveled to Santa Maria near Cadiz. He intended to meet the viceroy of Peru. Weakened by previous trips he died of pleurisy. This was on November 20 1704. He was buried in a Minims convent. His Traité des fougères was published posthumously in 1705.
Plumier specialized in the flora of the Antilles. His discoveries were significant. He named plants after various personalities. Bégonia honored Michel Bégon. Fuchsia honored Leonhart Fuchs. Lobelia honored Mathias de l’Obel. Magnolia honored Pierre Magnol. He also used vernacular names. Vanilla planifolia is one example.
He accurately described the cochineal of Mexico. He left behind many manuscripts and over 6000 drawings. Around 4000 depicted plants. The rest represented American fauna.
His fish illustrations were used by Lacépède and Bloch. His naturalistic publications were admired by Cuvier and others. Tournefort and Linné dedicated the genus Plumeria to him.
Marseille honored him with this street. Rochefort also has a street named after him. Paris has the Square du Père-Plumier. A cargo ship bore his name too. Thus Rue Charles Plumier reminds us of a dedicated botanist. He was an explorer and artist from Marseille.