Eugène Bourgeau

As a young man, he worked at the botanical garden in Lyon, where his influences included Nicolas Charles Seringe and Claude Thomas Alexis Jordan.[1] In 1843 he relocated to Paris, where he was hired by Philip Barker Webb as a herbarium assistant. In 1845-46 he collected plants for the "Webb collection" in the Canary Islands.[2]

He had previously been a botanical collector in Spain, North Africa and the Canary Islands before joining the British North American Exploring Expedition of western Canada from 1857 to 1860.[3] In Canada, he collected botanical specimens north of Lake Superior and areas around Lake Winnipeg, also journeying down the Saskatchewan River and venturing into the Rocky Mountains.[2] Mt Bourgeau near Sunshine Village in Banff National Park bears his name.

Later expeditions included two trips to Asia Minor (the Lycia region and the Pontic Mountains), a journey to Spain and the Balearic Islands (1863), a scientific mission to Mexico (1865–66), and in 1870, a trip to the island of Rhodes.[1][2]

Bourgeau did not publish any botanical literature.[2] He reportedly was a terrible speller and grammarian.[1]

The name of Eugène Bourgeau is commemorated with Mount Bourgeau, a peak located in Banff National Park.[4]

In honor of him, several taxonomic patronyms were also given in plants:

• the genus Bourgaea was named by Ernest Cosson.[2][5]
• the species names Anthemis bourgaei, Bupleurum bourgaei, Muscari bourgaei, Onosma bourgaei, Phlomis bourgaei, Quercus bourgaei, and Tillandsia bourgaei.

• Western Canadian History site