Thomas Walter (c. 1740 – January 17, 1789) was a British-born American botanist best known for his book Flora Caroliniana (1788), the first flora set in North America to utilize the Linnaean system of classification.[1]
Walter was born in Hampshire, England, around 1740. Little is known of his family background or early life. He evidently received a good education but no details are available. Sometime before 1769 he arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, where he worked as a merchant. He later acquired a rice plantation on the Santee River where he lived for the rest of his life.[1][2]
He became interested in botany and undertook a detailed plant survey within a fifty-mile radius of his home, collecting seeds for his garden and building an extensive herbarium.[1] Based on this effort, Walter completed a manuscript in 1787 containing a summary of all the flowering plant species found in the region. It was the first comprehensive regional flora set in eastern North America and the first to use Linnaeus' binomial naming conventions. Walter gave the manuscript to fellow-botanist John Fraser who took it to England and arranged for its publication in 1788. Flora Caroliniana provided brief Latin descriptions for over 1,000 plant species in 435 genera.[2]
Walter is credited with the discovery of some 200 new species and four new genera. Today, 88 of these species and one genus (Amsonia) still bear the valid names provided by Walter in his Flora.[1]
Walter died on January 17, 1789, shortly after the publication of his flora. His herbarium was taken to England by Fraser and eventually purchased by the British Museum of Natural History where it still exists. Since his death, eight plant species have been named in his honor.[1]
Rembert, David H. (1980). "Thomas Walter, Carolina botanist". Museum Bulletin Number 5. South Carolina State Library. hdl:10827/9612.
Sterling, Keir B., ed. (1997). "Walter, Thomas". Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists. Greenwood Press. pp. 810–812.
Stafleu, Frans A.; Cowan, Richard S. (1976). Taxonomic literature : a selective guide to botanical publications and collections with dates, commentaries and types. Vol. 7 (2nd ed.). Utrecht: Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema. pp. 50–51. ISBN9789031302246.
Wilson Parham Gee (1918). South Carolina botanists: biography and bibliography. Columbia, S. C., The University. pp. 20–23.
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thomas, walter, botanist, thomas, walter, 1740, january, 1789, british, born, american, botanist, best, known, book, flora, caroliniana, 1788, first, flora, north, america, utilize, linnaean, system, classification, thomas, walterbornc, 1740hampshire, englandd. Thomas Walter c 1740 January 17 1789 was a British born American botanist best known for his book Flora Caroliniana 1788 the first flora set in North America to utilize the Linnaean system of classification 1 Thomas WalterBornc 1740Hampshire EnglandDiedJanuary 17 1789NationalityAmericanBritishScientific careerFieldsBotanyLife and career editWalter was born in Hampshire England around 1740 Little is known of his family background or early life He evidently received a good education but no details are available Sometime before 1769 he arrived in Charleston South Carolina where he worked as a merchant He later acquired a rice plantation on the Santee River where he lived for the rest of his life 1 2 He became interested in botany and undertook a detailed plant survey within a fifty mile radius of his home collecting seeds for his garden and building an extensive herbarium 1 Based on this effort Walter completed a manuscript in 1787 containing a summary of all the flowering plant species found in the region It was the first comprehensive regional flora set in eastern North America and the first to use Linnaeus binomial naming conventions Walter gave the manuscript to fellow botanist John Fraser who took it to England and arranged for its publication in 1788 Flora Caroliniana provided brief Latin descriptions for over 1 000 plant species in 435 genera 2 Walter is credited with the discovery of some 200 new species and four new genera Today 88 of these species and one genus Amsonia still bear the valid names provided by Walter in his Flora 1 Walter died on January 17 1789 shortly after the publication of his flora His herbarium was taken to England by Fraser and eventually purchased by the British Museum of Natural History where it still exists Since his death eight plant species have been named in his honor 1 The standard author abbreviation Walter is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 3 Notes edit a b c d e Rembert 1980 a b Sterling 1997 International Plant Names Index Walter References editRembert David H 1980 Thomas Walter Carolina botanist Museum Bulletin Number 5 South Carolina State Library hdl 10827 9612 Sterling Keir B ed 1997 Walter Thomas Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists Greenwood Press pp 810 812 Stafleu Frans A Cowan Richard S 1976 Taxonomic literature a selective guide to botanical publications and collections with dates commentaries and types Vol 7 2nd ed Utrecht Bohn Scheltema amp Holkema pp 50 51 ISBN 9789031302246 Wilson Parham Gee 1918 South Carolina botanists biography and bibliography Columbia S C The University pp 20 23 nbsp This article about an American botanist is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Walter botanist amp oldid 1130133721, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
