Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T02:00:04.776Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

John Lightfoot (1735–1788) and the lichens of Flora Scotica (1777)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2014

David J. GALLOWAY*
Affiliation:
Landcare Research, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]

Abstract

John Lightfoot's account of lichens in Flora Scotica was the first Scottish lichen Flora and as such it was novel in several respects: 1) it was published in English; 2) it drew on the knowledge and expertise of several key local collectors and treated lichens from alpine areas for the first time; 3) it made lichens accessible in providing Linnaean binomials, colloquial English, and frequently also Gaelic names, together with lively descriptions, details of ecology, and medicinal or traditional uses when these were known. Of the 117 taxa listed, 109 were classified in the genus Lichen, five in Byssus, two in Mucor and one in Fucus. Nineteen taxa were newly described, of which five are still in current use. John Lightfoot's life, work and botanical friendships are also briefly discussed.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © British Lichen Society 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Acharius, E. (1799) [‘1798’] Lichenographiae Suecicae Prodromus. Linkopiae: D. G. Björn.Google Scholar
Acharius, E. (1803) Methodus Qua Omnes Detectos Lichenes. Stockholm: F. D. D. Ulrich.Google Scholar
Acharius, E. (1810) Lichenographic Universalis. Gottingen: I. F. Dankwerts.Google Scholar
Acharius, E. (1814) Synopsis Methodica Lichenum. Lundae: Svanborg et Soc.Google Scholar
Allen, D. E. (1976) The Naturalist in Britain. London: Allen Lane.Google Scholar
Allen, D. E. (2010) Books and Naturalists. The New Naturalist Library, Vol. 112. London: Harper Collins.Google Scholar
Barrrelier, C. (1714) Plantae per Galliam, Hispaniam et Italiam Observante. Paris: S. Ganeau.Google Scholar
Beaglehole, J. C. (1962) The Endeavour Journal of Joseph Banks 1768–1771. Vol. 1. Introduction. The Young Banks. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.Google Scholar
Bowden, J. K. (1989) John Lightfoot: his Works and Travels, with a Bibliographical Introduction and a Catalogue of the Lightfoot Herbarium. Kew & Pittsburgh: The Bentham-Moxham Trust, and Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.Google Scholar
Bridson, G. D. R., Phillips, V. C. & Harvey, A. P. (1980) Natural History Manuscript Resources in the British Isles. London: Mansell; New York: R. R. Bowker Co. Google Scholar
Britten, J. (1915) The herbarium of John Lightfoot. Journal of Botany 53: 269271.Google Scholar
Bryant, J. A., Irvine, L. M. & Ruffle, E. (2012) Insights into the life and work of the Rev. John Lightfoot (1735–1788), with particular reference to his algal herbarium and its conservation. The Linnean 28 (1): 2643.Google Scholar
Buxbaum, J. C. (1728) Plantarum Minus Cognitarum Centuria. St Petersburg: Ex Typographia Academiae.Google Scholar
Carter, H. B. (1988) Sir Joseph Banks 1743–1820. London: British Museum (Natural History).Google Scholar
Chambers, N. (ed.) (2000) The Letters of Sir Joseph Banks. A Selection, 1768–1820. London: Imperial College Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chambers, N. (ed.) (2007 a) Scientific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1765–1820, Vol. 1. The Early Period, 1765–1784. Letters 1765–1782. London: Pickering & Chatto. [letters 2, 41, 43, 81]Google Scholar
Chambers, N. (ed.) (2007 b) Scientific Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1765–1820, Vol. 3. The Middle Period, 1785–1799. Letters 1785–1790. London: Pickering & Chatto. [letter 847]Google Scholar
Cook, A. (2007) Botanical exchanges: Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Duchess of Portland. History of European Ideas 33: 142156.Google Scholar
Coppins, B. J. (2003) Lichen conservation in Scotland. Botanical Journal of Scotland 55: 2738.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, H. (1811) Remarks on Lichen scaber and some of its allies. Transactions of the Linnean Society 11: 7985.Google Scholar
Dawson, W. R. (ed.) (1958) The Banks Letters. A Calendar of the Manuscript Correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks Preserved in the British Museum, the British Museum (Natural History) and Other Collections in Great Britain. London: British Museum (Natural History).Google Scholar
Dickson, J. H. (1986) James Robertson and the botany of Bute, 1768. Watsonia 16: 6574.Google Scholar
Dillenius, J. J. (1742) [‘1741’] Historia Muscorum. Oxford: Sheldonian Theatre.Google Scholar
Dixon, P. S. (1959) Notes on two important algal herbaria. European Journal of Phycology [formerly British Phycological Bulletin ] 1(7): 3542.Google Scholar
Dixon, P. S. (1983) The algae of Lightfoot's Flora scotica . Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Botany 11(1): 115.Google Scholar
Fletcher, H. R. (1959) Exploration of the Scottish Flora. Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 38: 3047.Google Scholar
Fletcher, H. R. & Brown, W. H. (1970) The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 1670–1970. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Gage, A. T. & Stearn, W. T. (1988) A Bicentenary History of the Linnean Society of London. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Galloway, D. J. (2013) Olof Swartz's contributions to lichenology, 1781–1811. Archives of Natural History 40: 2037.Google Scholar
Gilbert, O. [L.] (2000) Lichens. The New Naturalist 86. London: Harper Collins.Google Scholar
Gilbert, O. [L.] (2004) The Lichen Hunters. Sussex: The Book Guild Ltd.Google Scholar
Haller, A. von (1742) Enumeratio Methodica Stirpium Helvetiae Indigenarum. Göttingen: ex Officina Academica Abrami Vandenhoek.Google Scholar
Hawksworth, D. L. (1972) Regional studies in Alectoria (Lichenes) II. The British species. Lichenologist 5: 181261.Google Scholar
Heiðmarsson, S. (2000) The genus Dermatocarpon (Verrucariales, lichenized Ascomyotina) in the Nordic countries. Nordic Journal of Botany 20(5): 605639.Google Scholar
Henrey, B. (1975) British Botanical and Horticultural Literature Before 1800. Comprising a History and Bibliography of Botanical and Horticultural Books Printed in England, Scotland and Ireland From the Earliest Times until 1800. 3 vols. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Hoffmann, G. F. (1784) Enumeratio Lichenum Iconibus et Descriptionibus Illustrata. Fascic. I Lepra, Verrucaria, Tubercularia, Scutellaria. Erlangae: Wolfgangi Waltheri.Google Scholar
Hooker, W. J. (1821) Flora Scotica; or a Description of Scottish Plants, Arranged Both According to the Artificial and Natural Methods. Edinburgh: Archibald Constable & Co. Google Scholar
Hudson, W. (1762) Flora Anglica, Exhibens Plantas per Regnum Angliae Sponte Crescents, Distributes Secundum Systema Sexuale: cum Differentiis Specierum, Synonymis Auctorum, Nominibus Incolarum, Solo Locorum, Tempore Florendi, Officinalibus Pharmacopeoerum. London: Impensis Auctoris.Google Scholar
Hudson, W. (1778) Flora Anglica. Ed. 2. Vol. 2. London: privately published.Google Scholar
Hughes, P. (1975) Paul Sandby's tour of Wales with Joseph Banks. The Burlington Magazine 117 (No. 868): 452457.Google Scholar
Joppien, R. (1994) Sir Joseph Banks and the world of art in Great Britain. In Sir Joseph Banks: a Global Perspective (Banks, R. E. R., Elliott, B., Hawkes, J. G., King-Hele, D. & Lucas, G. Ll., eds): 87103: Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, P. M. (1978) The lichen family Pannariaceae in Europe. Opera Botanica 45: 1123.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, P. M. (2007) Lichinaceae. Nordic Lichen Flora 3: 4676; 144.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, P. M. (2012) New names in Gunnerus's Flora Norvegica, and their typification. Taxon 61 (5): 10881095.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, P. M. & James, P. W. (1990) Studies in the lichen family Pannariaceae IV. The genus Degelia . Bibliotheca Lichenologica 38: 253276.Google Scholar
Jørgensen, P. M., James, P. W. & Jarvis, C. E. (1994) Linnaean lichen names and their typification. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 115: 261405.Google Scholar
Kärnefelt, I. (1986) The genera Bryocaulon, Coelocaulon and Cornicularia and formerly associated taxa. Opera Botanica 86: 190.Google Scholar
Laundon, J. R. (1976) Lichens new to the British Flora: 5. Lichenologist 8: 139150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laundon, J. R. (1984) The typification of Withering's neglected lichens. Lichenologist 16: 211239.Google Scholar
Laundon, J. R. & Waterfield, A. (2007) William Borrer's lichens in the Supplement to the English Botany 1829–1866. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 154: 381392.Google Scholar
Leighton, W. A. (1879) The Lichen-Flora of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands, 3rd ed. Shrewsbury: printed for the author.Google Scholar
Lightfoot, J. (1777) Flora Scotica: or, a Systematic Arrangement, in the Linnaean Method, of the Native Plants of Scotland and the Hebrides. 2 vols. London: B. White.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. (1737) Flora Lapponica. Amsterdam: Apud Salomonem Schouten.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. (1753) Species Plantarum. Vol. 2. Stockholm: Laurent Salvii.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. (1771) Mantissa Plantarum Altera. Stockholm: Laurent Salvii.Google Scholar
Linnaeus, C. (1774) Systema Vegetabilium. Ed. 13. Göttingen & Gotha: Io. Christ. Dieterich.Google Scholar
Loeselius, J. (1703) Flora Prussica Sive Plantarum in Regno Prussiae Sponte Nascentes. Köningsberg: Georg.Google Scholar
Lysaght, A. M. (1971) Joseph Banks in Newfoudland and Labrador, 1766. His Diary, Manuscripts and Collections. London: Faber and Faber.Google Scholar
Lysaght, A. M. & Cannon, J. F. M. (1973) Sir Joseph Banks's British herbarium. BSBI News 2(1): 1516.Google Scholar
Marsden, J. (2001) Society News [unveiling of portrait of John Lightfoot]. The Linnean 17(4): 23.Google Scholar
Micheli, P. A. (1729) Nova Plantarum Genera Iuxta Tournefortii Methodum Disposita. Florence: Bernardi Paperinii.Google Scholar
Morison, R. (1699) Plantarum Historiae Universalis Oxoniensis. Pars Tertia. Oxford: Sheldonian Theatre.Google Scholar
Oeder, G. C. (1762) [‘1761’] Icones Plantarum Sponte Nascentium in Regnis Daniae et Norvegiae … Florae Danicae Nomine Inscriptum. I. Copenhagen: Typis Claudii Philiberti.Google Scholar
Pennant, T. (1771) A Tour in Scotland MDCCLXIX. Chester: John Monk.Google Scholar
Pennant, T. (1789) Some account of the author of this work. In Flora Scotica, ed 2, Vol. 1 v–xii (Lightfoot, J., ed.): vxii. London: R. Faulder.Google Scholar
Petiver, J. (1702–1709) Gazophylacii Naturae et Artis Decades. London.Google Scholar
Price, J. H. (1968) Bibliographic notes on works concerning the algae II. The Flora Scotica of John Lightfoot (1777, 1789). Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History 5: 5767.Google Scholar
Ray, J. (1724) Synopsis Methodica Stirpium Britannicarum, ed. 3. London: Innys.Google Scholar
Riddlesdell, H. J. (1905) Lightfoot's visit to Wales in 1773. Journal of Botany 43: 290307.Google Scholar
Scopoli, J. A. (1772) Flora Carniolica, 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Vienna: J. P. Krauss.Google Scholar
Smith, C. W., Aptroot, A., Coppins, B. J., Fletcher, A., Gilbert, O. L., James, P. W. & Wolseley, P. A. (2009) The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland. London: British Lichen Society.Google Scholar
Smith, E. (1911) The Life of Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society With Some Notices of his Friends and Contemporaries. London: John Lane, The Bodley Head.Google Scholar
Swartz, O. P. (1781) Methodus Muscorum Illustrata. Upsaliae: J. Edman.Google Scholar
Swartz, O. P. (1784) Musci in Suecica nunc primum reperti ac descripti. Nova acta Regiae Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis 4: 239251.Google Scholar
Timdal, E. (1991) A monograph of the genus Toninia (Lecideaceae, Ascomycetes). Opera Botanica 110: 1137.Google Scholar
Tournefort, J. P. de (1700) Institutiones Rei Herbariae. Paris: Typographia Regia.Google Scholar
Vaillant, S. (1727) Botanicon Parisiense ou Denombrement par Ordre Alphabetique des Plantes qui se Trouvent aux Environs de Paris. Leiden & Amsterdam: J. & H. Verbeek.Google Scholar
Watling, R. & Seaward, M. R. D. (1981) James Bolton: mycological pioneer. Archives of Natural History 10 (1): 89110.Google Scholar
Withering, W. (1776) A Botanical Arrangement of All the Vegetables Naturally Growing in Great Britain. 2 vols. London: Cadell.Google Scholar
Withering, W (1796) An Arrangement of British Plants; According to the Latest Improvements of the Linnaean System. To Which is Prefixed, an Easy Introduction to the Study of Botany. 3rd ed. Vol. I: 369372; Vol. IV: 177. Birmingham: M. Swinney.Google Scholar
Woods, R. G. & Coppins, B. J. (2012) A Conservation Evaluation of British Lichens and Lichenicolous Fungi. Species status 13. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee.Google Scholar