The conversation with Anita Walsmit Sachs continues. We touch upon one of Anita’s current projects and a link to the historic Ambonese Herbal.
ArtPlantae: In the article your wrote for the December 2012 issue of The Botanical Artist – Journal of the American Society of Botanical Artists, you mentioned you work with scientists whose research is dedicated to the plants of southeast Asia. Does any aspect of your research include plants described by Georgius Everhardus Rumphius in The Ambonese Herbal? The manuscript used to print The Ambonese Herbal is located in the library at the University of Leiden. Have you ever seen this historic text?
Anita:
The scientists of our herbarium work at the Flora Malesiana so plants described by Georgius Everhardus Rumphius must have passed my hands. In the library of the herbarium I have seen a copy of the books, which was very impressive. Also the story of his life is very impressive, his constant perseverance and dedication to his passion.

