Abstract
ON February 2, at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Sir William Wright Smith, King's Botanist in Scotland, regius keeper of the Royal Garden, and professor of botany in the University, was presented with a portrait of himself, on the occasion of his seventieth birthday. Sir John Stirling-Maxwell presided, and the presentation was made by the Earl of Stair. At the same ceremony a second portrait of Sir William was presented to the Botanic Garden by Sir John Fraser. The portraits, which were painted by Mr. Stanley Cursiter, were the gift of a large number of Sir William's botanical and horticultural colleagues and other friends. Sir William has been connected with Edinburgh since the beginning of his career. He was educated at the University, and was lecturer in botany there during 1902–7. In 1908 and 1909, he explored the vegetation of north-west Sikkim, and of the Tibet-Nepalese and the Sikkim-Chumbi frontiers, returning to Edinburgh in 1911 as assistant keeper of the Garden; in 1922 he was appointed regius keeper and professor at the University. Sir William's early explorations have given him a life-long interest in the mountain flora of India, Tibet and Nepal, and it is for his work on the classification and introduction of plants from these regions, notably primulas and rhododendrons, that he is best known to botanists and horticulturists all over the world. Under his genial direction, the great traditions of the Edinburgh Garden, and of the University Botanical Department, have been worthily upheld, and his many friends have welcomed this opportunity of showing him their admiration and affection.
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Sir William Wright Smith. Nature 155, 168 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/155168b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/155168b0