69:
interrupted his training, but his posting to
Singapore was to inspire his 35-year career in South East Asia and interest in its flora. After National Service, Comber returned to Kew, completing his course in 1955. Later that year he was given leave to join Anglo-Indonesian Plantations (AIP) in
118:
Comber was to write three books, and numerous articles for orchid journals, about the orchids of South-east Asia (see 'Works'), describing well over 1000 species, all illustrated with photographs he had taken; the publication by the RBG Kew of one of these tomes,
98:
over the sovereignty of the region, and Comber's activities were to arouse the suspicions of the authorities as many of his workforce had come from
Indonesia. He was declared persona non grata. Comber eventually moved in 1971 to the post of
93:
During this time, Comber formed a close and philanthropic association with the native population, taking much interest in their culture and learning local languages. However, much of this period coincided with the
45:. His brother Richard gained a PhD in plant biochemistry. from Southampton University in 1955. His sister, Mary Comber-Miles, became the resident botanical artist at the
205:
384:
359:
95:
379:
74:. After resuming studies at degree level, he graduated in 1960, whereupon he accepted the post of Assistant Manager with AIP at the
321:
46:
289:
344:
276:
196:
185:
62:
115:, and later Thailand, during which time he was able to further his knowledge of the hundreds of orchid species.
90:
from 1963), later becoming
Manager, and spending much of his leisure time collecting and photographing orchids.
216:
38:
364:
31:
325:
164:
Comber married Riam
Tiekseeboon shortly before his retirement; they had two children, Elizabeth and John.
125:
156:
James Comber died suddenly at his home in
Southampton on 7 September 2005 following a knee operation.
374:
369:
134:
83:
123:, he personally funded. He inevitably discovered many new species, and two are named in his honour:
66:
34:
220:
353:
58:
27:
296:
145:
104:
23:
100:
87:
112:
75:
42:
108:
79:
57:
On leaving school, Comber worked briefly for the seed company of
71:
258:
Burgess, G. (2005) James (Jim) Boughtwood Comber 1929-2005.
144:
Comber retired in 1991, returning to the UK and settling in
30:
family. His father was the noted collector and lily breeder
240:
Hsu, E. (2011). Harold Comber and his introductions.
61:
at
Reading before beginning an apprenticeship at the
262:. Vol. 14, No. 110, 2005. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.
215:is used to indicate this person as the author when
347:Orchid Research Newsletter No.47, January 2006
199:/ Natural History Publications, Kota Kinabalu.
8:
254:
252:
250:
233:
37:, while his grandfather, James Comber
22:(1929 – 7 September 2005) was born at
7:
290:"Orchid Research Newsletter No. 47"
343:See also note by Phillip Cribb in
175:Wayside Orchids of South-east Asia
14:
385:People from Dumfries and Galloway
96:Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
322:International Plant Names Index
177:. Heinemann-Asia, Kuala-Lumpur.
20:James ('Jim') Boughtwood Comber
360:20th-century British botanists
47:University of British Columbia
1:
244:, Vol. 10, Part 4, Dec. 2011.
260:The Journal of the Kew Guild
401:
26:, Scotland, into a famous
63:Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
380:Botanists active in Asia
32:Harold Frederick Comber
271:Comber, J. B. (1990).
191:Comber, J. B. (2001).
180:Comber, J. B. (1990).
173:Comber, J. B. (1981).
78:rubber plantation in
41:was Head Gardener at
302:on 14 September 2012
135:Bulbophyllum comberi
126:Sarcoglyphis comberi
84:British North Borneo
206:author abbreviation
121:The Orchids of Java
193:Orchids of Sumatra
140:
131:
392:
332:
331:
327: J.B.Comber
318:
312:
311:
309:
307:
301:
295:. Archived from
294:
286:
280:
269:
263:
256:
245:
238:
224:
214:
213:
212:
138:
129:
67:National Service
59:Sutton & Son
16:British botanist
400:
399:
395:
394:
393:
391:
390:
389:
350:
349:
341:
336:
335:
320:
319:
315:
305:
303:
299:
292:
288:
287:
283:
273:Orchids of Java
270:
266:
257:
248:
239:
235:
230:
225:
210:
209:
208:
203:
182:Orchids of Java
170:
162:
154:
139:J. J. Vermeulen
55:
17:
12:
11:
5:
398:
396:
388:
387:
382:
377:
372:
367:
365:Orchidologists
362:
352:
351:
340:
337:
334:
333:
313:
281:
264:
246:
232:
231:
229:
226:
221:botanical name
202:
201:
200:
189:
178:
169:
166:
161:
158:
153:
150:
54:
51:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
397:
386:
383:
381:
378:
376:
373:
371:
368:
366:
363:
361:
358:
357:
355:
348:
346:
338:
329:
328:
323:
317:
314:
298:
291:
285:
282:
278:
274:
268:
265:
261:
255:
253:
251:
247:
243:
242:The Plantsman
237:
234:
227:
222:
218:
207:
204:The standard
198:
194:
190:
187:
183:
179:
176:
172:
171:
167:
165:
160:Personal life
159:
157:
151:
149:
147:
142:
137:
136:
128:
127:
122:
116:
114:
110:
106:
102:
97:
91:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
68:
64:
60:
52:
50:
48:
44:
40:
36:
33:
29:
28:horticultural
25:
21:
342:
326:
316:
304:. Retrieved
297:the original
284:
272:
267:
259:
241:
236:
192:
181:
174:
163:
155:
143:
133:
124:
120:
117:
92:
86:but part of
56:
19:
18:
375:2005 deaths
370:1929 births
345:Kew Gardens
146:Southampton
354:Categories
228:References
211:J.B.Comber
130:J. J. Wood
105:Ciba-Geigy
101:agronomist
24:Garlieston
65:in 1951.
88:Malaysia
306:13 July
277:RBG Kew
197:RBG Kew
186:RBG Kew
113:Sumatra
217:citing
82:(then
76:Sapang
53:Career
43:Nymans
339:Notes
300:(PDF)
293:(PDF)
168:Works
152:Death
109:Medan
107:near
103:with
80:Sabah
308:2013
132:and
72:Java
111:in
39:VMH
35:ALS
356::
324:.
275:.
249:^
219:a
195:.
184:.
148:.
141:.
49:.
330:.
310:.
279:.
223:.
188:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.