JOHN TORREY (1796-1873) and ASA GRAY (1810- 1888)

Flora of North America was begun in 1831 by John Torrey and in 1836 Asa Gray joined him in this pioneering work. It was the first attempt to describe all plants found in North America, not just those of a particular region. With the publication of the Flora, the break with the use of the Linnean system of plant classification became final, with the Jussieu and Candolle natural system of classification taking its place. The principles set forth in the Flora became the standard upon which all other studies by nineteenth- century botanists were based. Only two volumes were published, because Gray accepted a position at Harvard College, and both men were being overwhelmed by the botanical specimens sent to them from the western exploring expeditions.

Torrey and Gray worked together closely for thirty years analyzing the plant specimens from the expeditions and published the results in a variety of books and reports. Each of them gathered together impressive personal libraries but, more importantly, great herbariums. Gray became a correspondent of Charles Darwin and his chief defendant in America after the publication of the Origin of Species.

Acquired with the support of the Unidel Foundation