LINDLEY

lindley, john (1799-1865), english botanist, was born on the 5th of february 1799 at catton, near norwich, where his father, george lindley, author of _a guide to the orchard and kitchen garden_, owned a nursery garden. he was educated at norwich grammar school. his first publication, in 1819, a translation of the _analyse du fruit_ of l. c. m. richard, was followed in 1820 by an original _monographia rosarum_, with descriptions of new species, and drawings executed by himself, and in 1821 by _monographia digitalium_, and by "observations on pomaceae," contributed to the linnean society. shortly afterwards he went to london, where he was engaged by j. c. loudon to write the descriptive portion of the _encyclopaedia of plants_. in his labours on this undertaking, which was completed in 1829, he became convinced of the superiority of the "natural" system of a. l. de jussieu, as distinguished from the "artificial" system of linnaeus followed in the _encyclopaedia_; the conviction found expression in _a synopsis of british flora, arranged according to the natural order_ (1829) and in _an introduction to the natural system of botany_ (1830). in 1829 lindley, who since 1822 had been assistant secretary to the horticultural society, was appointed to the chair of botany in university college, london, which he retained till 1860; he lectured also on botany from 1831 at the royal institution, and from 1836 at the botanic gardens, chelsea. during his professoriate he wrote many scientific and popular works, besides contributing largely to the _botanical register_, of which he was editor for many years, and to the _gardener's chronicle_, in which he had charge of the horticultural department from 1841. he was a fellow of the royal, linnean and geological societies. he died at turnham green on the 1st of november 1865. besides those already mentioned, his works include _an outline of the first principles of horticulture_ (1832), _an outline of the structure and physiology of plants_ (1832), _a natural system of botany_ (1836), _the fossil flora of great britain_ (with william hutton, 1831-1837), _flora medica_ (1838), _theory of horticulture_ (1840), _the vegetable kingdom_ (1846), _folia orchidacea_ (1852), _descriptive botany_ (1858).