Carleton Rea
Encyclopedia
Carleton Rea was an English
mycologist
, botanist, and naturalist
.
, the son of the City Coroner
. He was educated at The King's School and Magdalen College, Oxford
, where he studied law
. He entered the Inner Temple
and became a barrister
in the Oxford Circuit, but never pursued his career with undue enthusiasm and ceased taking cases by 1907.
, Rea was "active in his leisure" and devoted much of his time to natural history, having joined his local Worcestershire Naturalists' Club as a schoolboy (he was president of the club in its centenary year, at the time of his death). He collaborated with J. Amphlet in the Botany of Worcestershire, published in 1909, and wrote several later supplements. His first paper in 1892 was on rare plants of the Severn Valley
.
Rea's special interest was in fungi and in 1896 he was one of the founder members of the British Mycological Society
. He was the first editor of the society's transactions and was elected its president in 1907 and again in 1921. Rea was a keen field mycologist, cutting a distinctive figure at forays in Panama hat, white waistcoat, knickerbockers, and monocle. He attended meetings in France and was made an honorary member of the Société Mycologique de France in 1934. He also visited colleagues in the United States, including William Murrill
, in 1926.
Rea's first wife, Amy Emma Rose, was also a naturalist and mycologist, painting many watercolours (now in the mycology collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
) of the fungi they collected together. She was elected president of the British Mycological Society in 1915.
Carleton Rea wrote a series of papers on British fungi, particularly agarics, and described a number of new species. His experience and knowledge of the larger basidiomycetes were eventually collected in the British Basidiomycetaceae (1922), the last comprehensive book on this group of fungi published in the British Isles and a standard reference work for some 30–40 years. The agaric species Agaricus reae, Cortinarius reae, Entoloma reae and Hygrocybe reae were named after him.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
mycologist
Mycology
Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans as a source for tinder, medicinals , food and entheogens, as well as their dangers, such as poisoning or...
, botanist, and naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
.
Background and education
Carleton Rea was born in WorcesterWorcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, the son of the City Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
. He was educated at The King's School and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, where he studied law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. He entered the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and became a barrister
Barristers in England and Wales
Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales, the other being solicitors. -Origin of the profession:The work of senior legal professionals in England and Wales...
in the Oxford Circuit, but never pursued his career with undue enthusiasm and ceased taking cases by 1907.
Natural history and mycology
In the words of John RamsbottomJohn Ramsbottom (mycologist)
John Ramsbottom was a British mycologist.He was Keeper of Botany at the British Museum . He served as general secretary and twice as president of the British Mycological Society, and was long editor of its Transactions. He was president of the Linnean Society from 1937 to 1940 and was awarded...
, Rea was "active in his leisure" and devoted much of his time to natural history, having joined his local Worcestershire Naturalists' Club as a schoolboy (he was president of the club in its centenary year, at the time of his death). He collaborated with J. Amphlet in the Botany of Worcestershire, published in 1909, and wrote several later supplements. His first paper in 1892 was on rare plants of the Severn Valley
Severn Valley (England)
The Severn Valley is a rural area of mid-western England, through which the River Severn runs and the Severn Valley Railway steam heritage line operates, starting at its northernmost point in Bridgnorth, Shropshire and running south for 16 miles to Bewdley, Worcestershire in the Wyre...
.
Rea's special interest was in fungi and in 1896 he was one of the founder members of the British Mycological Society
British Mycological Society
The British Mycological Society is a learned society established in 1896 to promote the study of fungi.-Formation:The Society was formed based on the efforts of two local societies, the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club of Hereford and the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union. The curator of the Hereford...
. He was the first editor of the society's transactions and was elected its president in 1907 and again in 1921. Rea was a keen field mycologist, cutting a distinctive figure at forays in Panama hat, white waistcoat, knickerbockers, and monocle. He attended meetings in France and was made an honorary member of the Société Mycologique de France in 1934. He also visited colleagues in the United States, including William Murrill
William Murrill
William Alphonso Murrill was an American mycologist, known for his contributions to the knowledge of the Agaricales and Polyporaceae.- Education :...
, in 1926.
Rea's first wife, Amy Emma Rose, was also a naturalist and mycologist, painting many watercolours (now in the mycology collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
) of the fungi they collected together. She was elected president of the British Mycological Society in 1915.
Carleton Rea wrote a series of papers on British fungi, particularly agarics, and described a number of new species. His experience and knowledge of the larger basidiomycetes were eventually collected in the British Basidiomycetaceae (1922), the last comprehensive book on this group of fungi published in the British Isles and a standard reference work for some 30–40 years. The agaric species Agaricus reae, Cortinarius reae, Entoloma reae and Hygrocybe reae were named after him.
Selected publications
- Rea, C. (1909). New and rare British fungi. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 3: 124-130
- Rea, C. (1922). British Basidiomycetaceae. A handbook of the larger British fungi. 799 pp. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Smith, A.L. & Rea, C. (1906). Fungi new to Britain. Transactions of the British Mycological Society 2: 127-131