David Don English botanist of the first half of the 19th century Date of Birth: 21.12.1799 Country: Great Britain

1. Early Life and Family
2. Librarian and Secretary of the Linnean Society
3. Professorship and Botanical Studies
4. Cryptomeria japonica and Prodromus Florae Nepalensis
5. Genus Pleione and Final Years

Early Life and Family

David Don was born in 1799, the younger brother of George Don, a renowned botanist and plant collector. Their father, also named George Don, was a famed gardener and Superintendent of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh from 1802.

Librarian and Secretary of the Linnean Society

From 1822 to 1841, David Don served as the Librarian and Secretary of the Linnean Society of London, where he was a respected member.

Professorship and Botanical Studies

In 1836, Don was appointed Professor of Botany at King's College London. He was a prolific botanist who specialized in coniferous trees and described numerous new plant species from various families.

Cryptomeria japonica and Prodromus Florae Nepalensis

Don is credited with pioneering the study of Cryptomeria japonica (Thunb.) D.Don, previously known as Cupressus japonica Thunb. He also curated the extensive herbarium and library of botanist Aylmer Lambert, compiling the "Prodromus Florae Nepalensis" in 1825, which included descriptions of new species of Hoya found by Nathaniel Wallich, the Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Garden.

Genus Pleione and Final Years

Don is also responsible for naming the orchid genus Pleione in 1825. Towards the end of his life, he served as editor of "The Annals and Magazine of Natural History," a respected botanical journal.