David Burke (botanist)

In 1880, after expressing a desire to travel, he was asked to accompany Charles Curtis on a trial trip to Borneo, where they were instructed by Harry Veitch to collect specimens of Nepenthes northiana; the search for the elusive pitcher plant was unsuccessful, but the pair discovered many other species, including many interesting stove (hot-house) plants, palms, and orchids.

[2][3] In 1881, Burke was sent to British Guiana, where he re-discovered the insectivorous plant Heliamphora nutans, which had not been seen since its discovery on Mount Roraima by the two brothers Robert and Richard Schomburgk in 1839,[1] and successfully introduced it to England.

[4] Amongst orchids he introduced from British Guiana were the rare Zygopetalum burkei[5] (named after him) and Phragmipedium lindleyanum;[6] from that trip he also sent the stove-house plant Amasonia punicea.

[8] In the Philippines, he also discovered and introduced Nepenthes burkei, a species of pitcher plant which was named after him, and Dendrobium taurinum, which he found on Ambon Island.

[10] According to Hortus Veitchii, "This traveller (Burke) crossed a greater area of the earth's surface and covered more miles in search of plants than any other Veitchian collector, with the possible exception of the two brothers William and Thomas Lobb.