William Cattley
William Cattley (* 1788 ; † August 8, 1835 in Barnet ) was an English trader of tropical plants. He became known for his collection of orchids . He is the namesake of the orchid genus Cattleya .
In 1819, Cattley received a shipment of plants from Brazil that included specimens of orchids. Cattley managed to successfully bloom one of these orchids a year later. His friend, the orchid researcher John Lindley, honored him by naming the entire genus Cattleya after him. Lindley was employed by Cattley to catalog and illustrate his collection. Cattley's orchid wasn't the first to arrive in England, but it arguably had the greatest impact on further orchid cultivation in England and Europe. After that, countless orchids were stolen from their original location and sent to Europe.
Others
The story spread among orchid lovers that the pseudobulbs of Calley's first orchid were used as packaging material for his shipment. This story is probably not true.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Cattley, William |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | English trader of tropical plants |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1788 |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 8, 1835 |
| Place of death | Barnet |