John Hutton Balfour

John Hutton Balfour (Edinburgh 15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884, Inverleith House, Edinburgh] ) was a Scottish botanist [ [http://www.nls.uk/scientists/details.cfm?id=2 John Hutton Balfour's biography] at National Library of Scotland] . He became Professor of Botany first at the University of Glasgow in 1841, and then moved to Edinburgh University, also becoming Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Her Majesty's Botanist in Scotland in 1845, which posts he held until 1879. He was awarded the degree of LLD by Edinburgh University, Glasgow University and St Andrews University in 1879.

Balfour was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and then studied at St. Andrews University and Edinburgh University, graduating with degrees of M.A. and then M.D., the latter in 1832. His original intention had been to seek ordination in the Church of Scotland but instead started medical practice in Edinburgh in 1834 after studying abroad. With an interest in botany, and a botanical knowledge which he continued to expand, Balfour was prominent in the moves to establish the Botanical Society of Edinburgh in 1836 and the Botanical Club in 1838. In 1840 he began giving lectures on botany with some success and in 1841 he became Professor of Botany at Glasgow University. In 1845, Balfour was appointed Professor of Botany at Edinburgh University and nominated Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. He was for many years Dean of the Medical Faculty, Edinburgh University. Under his care the Royal Botanic Garden was enlarged and improved and a palm-house, arboretum, and teaching accommodation was built. His publications include botanical text-books such as Manual of botany (1848), Class book of botany (1852), Outlines of botany (1854), and Elements of botany for schools (1869), Botanist's companion (1860), Introduction to palaeontological botany (1872), and The plants of scripture. He also contributed to the article on botany in the 8th edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Balfour retired in 1879.

California's foxtail pine is named "Pinus balfouriana" Balf. after him.

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External links

*cite book
last = Balfour
first = John Hutton
title = A manual of botany: being an introduction to the study of the structure, physiology, and classification of plants
url = http://www.archive.org/details/manualofbotanybe00balfiala
accessdate = 2008-05-10
year = 1851
publisher = J. J. Griffin