William Blackall
Encyclopedia
William E. Blackall was a Western Australia
medical doctor who made a substantial contribution to that state's botany
.
Born in Folkestone
, Kent
, England
, he emigrated to Perth
in 1905. His occupation was in medicine, but he is now best known for his amateur botany. He compiled a personal herbarium of around 5,000 specimens, and was the collector of the type specimen from which Acacia daviesioides was published. He also began production of an illustrated key to the flora of Western Australia
in the 1920s, but died before it was complete.
On his death in Perth in 1941, his herbarium was deposited at the Western Australian Museum
, and eventually ended up at the Western Australian Herbarium
. His manuscript was neglected until 1947, when his family asked the University of Western Australia
to complete it. This work was taken up by Professor Brian Grieve
, and resulted in the well-known series How to know Western Australian wildflowers
.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
medical doctor who made a substantial contribution to that state's botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
.
Born in Folkestone
Folkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he emigrated to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1905. His occupation was in medicine, but he is now best known for his amateur botany. He compiled a personal herbarium of around 5,000 specimens, and was the collector of the type specimen from which Acacia daviesioides was published. He also began production of an illustrated key to the flora of Western Australia
Flora of Western Australia
The flora of Western Australia comprises 9,437 published native vascular plant species of 1,543 genera within 226 families; there are also 1,171 naturalised alien or invasive plant species more commonly known as weeds...
in the 1920s, but died before it was complete.
On his death in Perth in 1941, his herbarium was deposited at the Western Australian Museum
Western Australian Museum
The Western Australian Museum is the state museum for Western Australia.The Western Australian Museum has seven main sites: two in Perth within the Perth Cultural Centre, two in Fremantle , and one each in Albany, Geraldton, and Kalgoorlie-Boulder...
, and eventually ended up at the Western Australian Herbarium
Western Australian Herbarium
The Western Australian Herbarium is the State Herbarium in Perth, Western Australia, Western Australia. It is part of the State government's Department of Environment and Conservation, and has responsibility for the description and documentation of the flora of Western Australia.The Herbarium is...
. His manuscript was neglected until 1947, when his family asked the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
to complete it. This work was taken up by Professor Brian Grieve
Brian Grieve
Professor Brian John Grieve was an Australian botanist best known for his multi-volume book series How to know Western Australian wildflowers....
, and resulted in the well-known series How to know Western Australian wildflowers
How to know Western Australian wildflowers
How to know Western Australian wildflowers is a series of books that provide illustrated keys to the vascular flora of the southern half of Western Australia....
.
External links
- Blackall, William Edward - Bright Sparcs Biographical entry at www.asap.unimelb.edu.au - Bright Sparcs Biography
Further reading
- Pearn, John. (2001) A doctor in the garden : nomen medici in botanicis : Australian flora and the world of medicine' Herston, Qld. : Amphion Press. ISBN 1864995033 Brief biography of Dr W Blackall, and notes on plants named after him pp. 89-90.