Economic Botany Collection

Catalogue no.:

54907

Botanical classification:

TRAPACEAE Trapa natans var. verbanensis

Common name:

Water chestnut, Frutti di Lago, Jesuit’s nut, water caltrop

Geographical description:

Lago di Varese, Italy

Item description:

Rosary

Length:

163cm plus 16cm

No. of beads:

64

Bead size:

2-3cm long

Additional information:

Notes accompanying object: 'Purchased at Pallanza, price 1 franc.'

Plant information:

Annual plant consisting of tight floating rosettes. Native to temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia. Introduced to North America in 1874, it was probably domesticated in the Far East 5 – 6,000 years ago.

Donor date:

14/05/1883

Donor:

Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer (1843-1928) - was born at Westminster and originally studied medicine, before changing his mind and later graduating in mathematics and then natural science in 1867. From 1868 to 1879 he was professor of natural history at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, of botany at the Royal College of Science, Dublin and then professor of botany at the Royal Horticultural Society in London. He also worked part-time at Kew. Sir Thiselton-Dyer became involved in botanical teaching involving the use of microscopical techniques, continental methods and use of living specimens. By 1875, Sir Thiselton-Dyer had been appointed assistant director at Kew. He married Joseph Hooker’s eldest daughter Harriet-Ann in 1877, and was made director of the gardens in 1885.