A branch of the bread-fruit tree, the Principal Support of the Natives of the South Sea Islands.

Scarce early c.19th engraving of the breadfruit provided by the Tahitians at Matavia Bay (previously named by Wallis as Port Royal) on 13th April 1769.

After Cook’s return from Tahiti in the Endeavour, Joseph Banks and Solander the botanist, reported on the Bread fruit as a food source. This prompted colonial administrators and plantation owners to call for the introduction of the plant to the British colonies in the West Indies. Joseph Banks, as President of The Royal Society, offered a cash prize and a medal to the person who successfully introduced the plant. The first attempt by Blight led to the infamous ‘mutiny on the Bounty.’ On his second attempt, Bligh won the Royal Society medal.

Common name: Bread fruit
Modern binomial name: Artocarpus altilis
First described: 1769

Parkinson named the species Sitodium altile, three years later, Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster published a description of the species using the name Artocarpus communis.
Distribution: Endemic to the Pacific but now found in over 90 countries.

From: Cooke, C. A modern and authentic system of universal geography : containing an accurate and entertaining description of Europe, Asia, Africa and America

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 : 352.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID: 796190
State Library New South Wales: 91020094669702626
State Library Victoria: 992706943607636
Yale University Library & Art Gallery: 5404463