John Lindley

John Lindley ( born February 5, 1799 in Catton, Norfolk, † November 1, 1865 in Acton Green, Middlesex ) was an English botanist. Its official botanical author abbreviation is " Lindl. " Was the first botanist Lindley created a classification of orchids and is considered as the father of modern orchidology. Lindley's opinion on the Irish situation was critical for the rejection of the Corn Laws.

Life and work

Lindley was the oldest of four children of the gardener George Lindley (ca. 1769-1835 ) from Yorkshire and his wife Mary, née Moore. George Lindley was Pomologe and had written a horticultural Manual ( A Guide to the Orchard and Kitchen Garden). Even in his school days in the school of Norwich John Lindley collected wild plants, but also antiquities, his nickname was " Old Antiquity". He wanted to be a soldier, but the family could not raise the money to buy him a commission. So it was in 1815 traveler 's seed shop Wrench from Camberwell and then spent some time at home with entomological studies until his father got into financial difficulties. In 1817 he met William Jackson Hooker, know at that time a well-known botanist, who was a resident of Norwich, and remained with him even after his move to Halesworth in conjunction. About Hooker he became acquainted with Charles Lyell and Robert Brown. With the assistance of Brown, he became librarian in 1819 auxiliary Joseph Banks in Soho, which made him hope to be able to go for it on research trips. He oversaw the library and herbarium; after the death of Banks, he completed the works left behind. From 1821, after the death of Banks, Lindley was massively supported by the merchant and Orichdeensammler William Cattley ( 1788-1835 ). He gave his Collectanea Botanica out in 1821. After this he named the genus in 1824 Cattleya Lindl. With the money that he had given to Lyell, to Lindley bought a microscope and a small herbarium

1822 Lindley assistant secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society ( RHS ), then a remarkable size in the botanical world, and was also tasked with monitoring the horticultural activities for William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire ( 1790-1858 ), on whose country seat Chiswick entrusted. He organized there the first exhibition of the RHS garden. Lindley certain plants, which were received from the collectors to the Company. In 1832 he received his doctorate at the University of Munich as a doctor of philosophy.

1823 Lindley Lindley married Sarah Freestone ( 1791-1869 ), the daughter of Anthony George Freestone. The couple lived in Acton Green and had five more children, Lindley seems to have his wife, however, neglected in favor of its plants. In the house lived 1830-1847 and his illustrator Sarah Drake, who became famous as a painter of orchids. In 1840 he named the Australian orchid genus Drakea after her. Even his daughters created illustrations for his works. He took his eldest daughter often in place of his wife to social events with.

As Lindley had to vouch for the debts of his father, he suffered all his life a lack of money and was constantly looking for new sources of revenue. 1829 Lindley was at University College London Professor of Botany, a position he held until his retirement in 1861. In 1835 he published the work Natural System of Botany, in which he divided the orchids in seven tribes.

1841 founded Lindley, Joseph Paxton and other horticultural magazine, The Gardeners' Chronicle. This journal should be one of the excellent vehicle for the promotion of orchids customer. Through its relationship with the Royal Horticultural Society and wealthy patrons Lindley became an expert on orchids in England and Europe. In this position, he received many new plants for identification and description sent, published many new taxa and fundamental investigations and laid a broad basis for the scientific orchidology. In October 1845 Lindley traveled with the chemist Lyon Playfair on behalf of Robert Peel, the British Prime Minister to Ireland to investigate the local famine, potato blight and the impact of the Corn Laws. He emphasized the scale of the disaster and the need for assistance.

By working on his herbaria Lindley probably suffered at a mercury poisoning, what his creativity aged very diminished. He died on 1 November 1865 in Acton Green from a stroke and was buried in Acton.

Honors

1828 Lindley was elected as a member of the Royal Society, in 1857, the Royal Medal awarded him. According to him, the orchid genus Lindleya Kunth was named. The RHS named their exhibition hall was built in 1904 in the Elverton Street in Chelsea in his honor.

Writings (selection )

  • Rosarum Monographia. Or a Botanical History of Roses, to Which is added an appendix for the Use of Cultivators, in Which the most remarkable Garden Varieties are systematically Arranged. Ridgway, London, 1820.
  • Digitalium Monographia. Sistens historiam botanicam Generis, tabulis omnium specierum hactenus cognitarum illustratam, ut plurimum confectis ad icones Ferdinandiova Bauer penes Gulielmum Cattley. Bohte, London, 1821.
  • A synopsis of the British flora. Arranged accor ding to the natural orders: Containing vasculares, or flowering Plants. Printed for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, London 1829 (second edition 1835 ibid; 3rd edition ibid. 1841).
  • The Genera and Species of Plants Orchidaceous. Ridgway, London 1830-1840.
  • An Introduction to the natural system of Botany: or, A systematic view of the organization, natural Affinities, and geographical distribution of the whole vegetable Kingdom; Together with the Uses of the most important Species in Medicine, the Arts, and rural or domestic economy. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, London 1830 ( online).
  • Sertum Orchidaceum. A wreath of the most beautiful Orchidaceous Flowers. Ridgway, London 1837-1841.
  • John Lindley and William Hutton, Fossil Flora of Great Britain, or figures and descriptions of vegetal remains found in a fossil state in this country. London, James Ridgway 1831-1837.
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