WITTWER, Ernst  (Ernie)   (1919 - 1990)

Born in 1919 in Switzerland; died on 17 June 1990 in Belmont, WA.

He was a Swiss National but had trained at Kew Gardens and had nursery experience in South Australia.

He was recruited by John Beard as the first Nurseryman at Kings Park, particularly to assist in producing plants for the new botanic garden.

He was a Nurseryman from 1962-1970 an Superintendent from 1970-1984.

He collected widely in Western Australia (over 1,300 collections) and was often accompanied by his wife Magda Wittwer who worked as an assistant to John Beard in helping to map the vegetation of Western Australia and also collect plant specimens.

The Wittwers are honoured by the threatened Stirling Range Mountain Bell, Darwinia wittwerorum N.G.Marchant & Keighery.
Wittwer is also honoured by Astus wittweri Trudgen & Rye, Grevillea wittweri McGill. and Thryptomene wittweri J.W.Green (Green 1980).

The 'Ernst Wittwer Playground' in Variety Place, Kings Park was also named in his honour.

Source: Extracted from:
Russell Barrett, Pers.Comm. (2025),
unpublished summary compiled for the 50th anniversary of the Kings Park botanic garden.
3322 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, WA, 6 July 1990, Trustees Act, Notice.
Portrait Photo: seeking portrait.

Collecting localities for 'Wittwer, E.' from AVH (2025)

Data from 1,421 specimens