James Britten

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James Britten
James Britten

James Britten (3 May 1846 – 8 October 1925) was an English botanist.

Born in Chelsea, London, he moved to High Wycombe in 1865 to begin a medical career. However he became increasingly interested in botany, and began writing papers on the subject. His first publication was probably that published in the Journal of Botany in 1863.

In 1869 he was appointed a junior assistant at the Herbarium at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In 1871 he joined the Department of Botany at the British Museum. In 1879 he succeeded Henry Trimen as editor of the Journal of Botany. He would hold the editorship for around 45 years. Botanist Norman Hall wrote of Britten: "Britten threw himself fully into the editorship, although his pungent remarks on papers submitted were not always appreciated."[1]

Britten was also heavily involved in the Catholic Truth Society. This had lapsed in 1872, but Britten help revive it in 1884, and dominated the movement for many years.[2]

This earned him an appointment as Knight and later Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Leo XIII.[1] He died at age 79.

The standard author abbreviation Britten is used to indicate this individual as the author when citing a botanical name.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Hall, Norman (1978). Botanists of the Eucalypts. Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. ISBN 0643002715. 
  2. ^ CTS History. Retrieved on 2007-04-13.
  3. ^ Brummitt, R. K.; C. E. Powell (1992). Authors of Plant Names. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ISBN 1-84246-085-4.