Charles Christopher Frost
Encyclopedia
Charles Christopher Frost (November 11, 1805 – March 16, 1880) was an American botanist. He described several species of fungi from the New England
area of the United States. In one paper, Frost described 22 new species of bolete
s, and he was later credited with the discovery of three additional species. His personal herbarium
of specimens were given to the University of Vermont
in 1902. Portions of his collection today are distributed between the Farlow Herbarium at Harvard University
, the New York State Museum
, and the Buffalo Museum of Science
.
, on November 11, 1805. His parents were shoemaker James Frost and Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of an officer in the American Revolution
. When he was fifteen, Frost left school after being hit with a ruler by a teacher, and assisted his father with his business. Although Frost had developed a prior interest in the natural sciences, his interest in botany grew after meeting with physician Willard Parker, who recommended Frost undertake botanical walks to alleviate the symptoms of his dyspepsia
. Frost started studying the moss
es and lichen
s he encountered on these walks. He later investigated fungi, particularly the bolete
mushrooms.
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
area of the United States. In one paper, Frost described 22 new species of bolete
Bolete
A bolete is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe, with a spongy surface of pores on the underside of the pileus...
s, and he was later credited with the discovery of three additional species. His personal herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
of specimens were given to the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1902. Portions of his collection today are distributed between the Farlow Herbarium at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the New York State Museum
New York State Museum
The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol...
, and the Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science is a science museum located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Buffalo, New York USA, northeast of the downtown district, near the Kensington Expressway. The historic building was designed by August Esenwein and James A. Johnson and opened in 1929...
.
Early life
Frost was born in Brattleboro, VermontBrattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
, on November 11, 1805. His parents were shoemaker James Frost and Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of an officer in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. When he was fifteen, Frost left school after being hit with a ruler by a teacher, and assisted his father with his business. Although Frost had developed a prior interest in the natural sciences, his interest in botany grew after meeting with physician Willard Parker, who recommended Frost undertake botanical walks to alleviate the symptoms of his dyspepsia
Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia , also known as upset stomach or indigestion, refers to a condition of impaired digestion. It is a medical condition characterized by chronic or recurrent pain in the upper abdomen, upper abdominal fullness and feeling full earlier than expected when eating...
. Frost started studying the moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
es and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s he encountered on these walks. He later investigated fungi, particularly the bolete
Bolete
A bolete is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe, with a spongy surface of pores on the underside of the pileus...
mushrooms.
Eponymous taxa
- Agaricus frostianus Peck 1883
- Amanita frostianaAmanita frostianaAmanita frostiana, also known as Frost's Amanita, is a small fungi species of eastern U.S.A. and southeastern Canada. The mushroom varies in colours from yellow, red or reddish pink usually.-Physical description:...
Peck 1900 - Amanita subfrostiana Zhu L.Yang 1997
- Boletus frostiiBoletus frostiiBoletus frostii, commonly known as Frost's bolete or the apple bolete, is a bolete mushroom first described scientifically in 1874. A member of the Boletaceae family, the mushrooms produced by the fungus have tubes and pores instead of gills on the underside of its cap...
J.L.Russell - Boletus pseudofrostii B. Ortiz 2007
- Cetraria fahlunensis var. frostii (Tuck.) Zahlbr. 1929
- Cetraria hepatizon var. frostii (Tuck.) Räsänen 1952
- Diatrype frostii (Peck) Cooke 1886
- Diatrypella frostii Peck 1878
- Dirinaria frostii (Tuck.) Hale & W.L.Culb. 1970
- Frostiella Murrill 1942
- Lecanora frostii (Tuck.) Tuck. 1866
- Lycoperdon frostii Peck 1879
- Parmelia frostii Tuck. 1882
- Phyllosticta afrostyracis C.Moreau 1947
- Physcia frostii (Tuck.) Zahlbr. 1930
- Pyxine frostii (Tuck.) Tuck. 1882
- Squamaria frostii Tuck. 1858
- Suillellus frostii (J.L.Russell) Murrill 1909
- Tubiporus frostii (J.L.Russell) Imai{?} 1968
- Venenarius frostianus (Peck) Murrill 1913
Species described
- Boletus arcuatus Frost
- Boletus chromapes Frost 1874
- Boletus chromopus Frost
- Boletus decorus Frost 1874
- Boletus firmus Frost 1874
- Boletus griseus Frost 1878
- Boletus innixus Frost 1874
- Boletus limatulus Frost 1874
- Boletus macrosporus Frost
- Boletus magnisporus Frost 1874
- Boletus miniatoolivaceus Frost 1874
- Boletus pallidus Frost 1874
- Boletus peckii Frost 1878
- Boletus roxanae Frost 1874
- Boletus rubens Frost
- Boletus russellii Frost 1878
- Boletus salmonicolor Frost 1874
- Boletus serotinus Frost 1877
- Boletus sordidus Frost 1874
- Boletus speciosus Frost 1874
- Boletus submoricolor Frost 1877
- Hygrophorus flavodiscus Frost 1884
- Hygrophorus fuligineus Frost 1884
- Polyporus morganii Frost 1879
- Russula compacta Frost 1879
- Russula flavida Frost 1879
- Urocystis cepulae Frost 1877
- Uromyces cepulae Frost