Richard Pearce

Richard Pearce (c.1835 – 17 July 1868) was a British plant collector, who introduced the tuberous begonia to England, which led to the development of the hybrid begonias grown today.

He was born at Stoke, Devonport in Devon. His first employment was with Pontey's nursery in Plymouth, where he stayed until about 1858, when he went to work at the nursery of James Veitch at Mount Radford, near Exeter.

Returning from La Paz in 1866, Pearce's contract with James Veitch & Sons ended and he returned to his home at Plymouth, where he married.

In 1867 he moved to London where he was contracted by William Bull to travel back to South America in search of Masdevallia veitchiana. On arrival in Panama he set off in search of a species of Cypripedium (C. planifolium) which he had been advised was growing nearby. His search was unsuccessful and he returned to Panama City, where he was taken ill on 13 July, and died on 17 July 1867 (aged 33) of yellow fever - transmitted by a mosquito bite.
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