Tuesday, April 27

Thomas Nuttall, 1786-1859

Nuttall's violet is one of the earliest of the prairie wildflowers to bloom in the "wild" part of my yard, and one of my favorites. Named in honor Thomas Nuttall, a British born naturalist and one of America's pioneer paleontologists and plant collectors.

Nuttall was the curator of the Harvard Botanic Garden in the 1820s and at the Philadelphia Academy of Science in the 1830s. He traveled west and collected many of the prairie species first seen by Lewis and Clark whose sample plants were lost during their Voyage of Discovery. Nuttall is honored by not only having the violet named for him, but 4 other plants and 4 bird species as well.

3 comments:

Florida Beach Basics said...

imagine having something so cool named after you - what a great legacy. marge

Deb said...

I have run across that name a few times in my biological career! Nuttall's pondweed comes to mind...

Jann said...

I haven't seen any wild violets yet, but the Nuttall's isn't as common as others...now I know where it got its name, thanks! :o)