Jean-Nicolas Céré

Who was Jean-Nicolas Céré?

Jean-Nicolas Céré was a French botanist and agronomist born on the Indian Ocean Isle de France but educated in Brittany and Paris. On the Isle de France he was befriended by Pierre Poivre, administrator of the Isle de France and Ile Bourbon, who he assisted in the cultivation of spices. When Poivre was recalled to France in 1773 Céré was appointed Director of the Royal Garden at Monplaisir, a position he held from 1775 to the time of his death in 1810.

During his time on the island Céré encouraged plant exchange, making a considerable contribution to economic botany by sending living plants to many countries, raising numerous peppers, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg trees which he distributed to the neighbouring French islands, and also introducing to Mauritius useful plants from Malaysia, America, China and elsewhere.