A bronze gaze pierces the Durban sun. It’s John Medley Wood. He stands tall a testament to a life dedicated to botany.
Here before you is the John Medley Wood Statue. It’s a tribute to a remarkable man a South African botanist. He made significant contributions to our understanding of Natal ferns. He’s also credited with establishing Uba sugarcane. This sugarcane variety was unique because it was immune to mosaic virus. Imagine the impact on the local economy.
Born in Mansfield England John Medley Wood arrived in Durban in 1852. He wasn’t always a botanist. He spent seven years at sea after leaving school. Later he acquired land near the Umdhloti River. There he experimented with crops. He married his stepmother’s sister Elizabeth Haygarth in 1855. For health reasons he moved to Inanda. He ran a trading store and farmed. But his true passion began to bloom.
In Inanda John developed an interest in cryptogams. He collected ferns mosses and fungi. He also collected flowering plants. He corresponded with mycologists at Kew Gardens in London and in Budapest. A local fern expert Rev John Buchanan aided his studies. Anton Rehmann an Austrian botanist even took over Wood’s moss collection.
His botanical passion led him to become Curator of the Durban Botanic Gardens in 1882. He used his knowledge of crops to establish the suitability of Uba sugarcane for Natal’s conditions. He collected plants throughout Natal exchanging duplicates with herbaria worldwide. He was instrumental in building the Durban Botanic Gardens’ herbarium. He organized over 1500 specimens in a humble wood and corrugated-iron hut.
John Medley Wood’s legacy extends beyond his life. He prepared about 13000 specimens many of which were distributed. Only about 6000 remain. He wrote several publications including Natal Plants. At the time of his death in 1915 he was preparing a seventh volume. He was commemorated in genera Woodia and Woodiella. Many species names also honor him including Encephalartos woodii. This statue is a permanent reminder of his extensive contribution to botany. His work significantly impacted the understanding and development of local flora and agriculture. Take a moment to appreciate the enduring legacy of John Medley Wood.