 During his career he discovered many new species of plants, mainly palms (family Arecaceae).In 1866 he discovered and drew in his notebook the plant "Thismia neptunis" of the family Thismiaceae; only after 151 years, in 2017, was this discovery confirmed.After an expedition to Ethiopia, he made a second trip to New Guinea, this time with ornithologist Luigi D'Albertis in 1872.