Amelia Griffiths

Amelia Griffiths (1768–1858), often referred to in contemporary works as Mrs Griffiths of Torquay, was a beachcomber and amateur phycologist who made many important collections of marine algae specimens.[1]

Amelia Warren Griffiths
Born
Amelia Warren Rogers

(1768-01-14)January 14, 1768
Pilton, Devon, UK
DiedJanuary 4, 1858(1858-01-04) (aged 89)
Torquay, Devon, UK
Known forPhycologist; collection and description of seaweed (marine algae)
Spouse(s)William Griffiths
Children5
Scientific career
InfluencedWilliam Henry Harvey
Author abbrev. (botany)A.W.Griffiths

Amelia Warren Rogers was born 14 January 1768 in Pitton, Devon, UK.[2] Her parents were John and Emily (née Warren) Rogers. She married Rev. William Griffiths, the vicar of St Issey, Cornwall in 1794 but after his death she moved her family of five children to Torquay.[3] She died in Torquay on 4 January 1858.

She corresponded with the botanist William Henry Harvey for many years, becoming a close friend. They met at Torquay in 1839.[4]

Harvey dedicated his 1849 Manual of British Algae to her, and once wrote

"If I lean to glorify any one, it is Mrs Griffiths, to whom I owe much of the little acquaintance I have with the variations to which these plants are subject, and who is always ready to supply me with fruits of plants which every one else finds barren. She is worth ten thousand other collectors."[5]

Carl Adolph Agardh named Griffithsia in her honour in 1817.[6]

Griffiths was the first to describe Ceramium agardhianum A.W.Griffiths ex Harvey 1841 (now C. deslongchampsii) and the species Ceramium botryocarpum in 1844.[1] The standard author abbreviation A.W.Griffiths is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[7]

One of her servants, Mary Wyatt, became involved in collecting and selling books of seaweeds as part of her business selling collectables and local souvenirs with assistance from Griffiths.[4]

She collected a large number of specimens. Some were sent to other collectors or scientists while she mounted others in albums herself. After her death, her own herbarium became part of Torquay Museum and there are 3 albums of her specimens in Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Others became part of the collections in the British Museum including 780 British seaweeds purchased in 1852 and 880 specimens presented by the North Devon Athenaeum in 1917. She had also provided material to other collectors and these have also found their way into national collections.[2] In addition, some are now within the Kew Herbarium.[3] Her daughter, Amelia Elizabeth Griffiths (1802-1861), also collected seaweeds and some of her collections have been mistaken for those of her mother.[2]

See also

References
  1. Gifford, Isabella (1853). The Marine Botanist: An Introduction to the Study of the British Sea-weeds. Brighton: R. Folthorp. p. 244.
  2. "Griffiths, Amelia Warren (1768-1858)". Global Plants - Natural History Museum. JSTOR. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  3. Miniata. "Flowers of the Sea - Part 1". James Cook University Library.
  4. Strange, Phillip (2014). "The Queen of seaweeds" (August). Marshwood Vale Magazine. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  5. Praeger, Robert Lloyd (1913). "William Henry Harvey 1811—1866". In Oliver, Francis Wall (ed.). Makers of British botany. Cambridge University Press. pp. 204–224.
  6. Suzanne Le-May Sheffield (2001). Revealing new worlds: three Victorian women naturalists. Women in science. 3. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-27069-3.
  7. IPNI.  A.W.Griffiths.


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