Ellen Hutchins
Encyclopedia
Ellen Hutchins was an early Irish
botanist.
Hutchins was from Ardnagashel, Ballylickey
, where her family had a small estate at the head of Bantry Bay
, County Cork
. Her father was a magistrate and died when she was two years old, leaving a wife and six children. She moved to Dublin and was looked after by Dr. Whitley Stokes, a medical doctor and naturalist. She befriended Scot
James Townsend Mackay (1775–1862), a curator at the Botanic Garden of Trinity College
. His influence helped her in the classification of plants she was collecting. She contributed to his Flora Hibernica. Hutchins was an avid collector of cryptogamic species, and their pictorial representations. She collected around her homeplace in Bantry and in Belfast
and in the West of Ireland. She had a major influence in the collection and line drawing of seaweeds. In 1807 these were sent to Dawson Turner
's Fuci. She also contributed in 1804 to his Muscologiae Hibernicae Specilegium, the first work on Irish mosses. She contributed to Lewis Weston Dillwyn
's work British Confervae. Her rare finds included lichens, and three species are called after her:
At least three marine algae are named in her honour:
On her death her collection passed to Dawson Turner
and are now in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
, with some in Sheffield
City Museum.
The genus Hutchinsia (Brassicaceae
) was named in her honour and, even if now replaced by the name Hornungia
, the common name "Hutchinsia" persists in the UK for Hornungia petraea. C. Agardh
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
botanist.
Hutchins was from Ardnagashel, Ballylickey
Ballylickey
Ballylickey or Ballylicky is a village on the N71 national secondary road near Bantry, County Cork, Ireland. The River Ovane flows into Bantry Bay at Ballylickey.-Tourism:* The area is notable for the Seaview Hotel....
, where her family had a small estate at the head of Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay is a bay located in County Cork, southwest Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km wide at the head and wide at the entrance....
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Her father was a magistrate and died when she was two years old, leaving a wife and six children. She moved to Dublin and was looked after by Dr. Whitley Stokes, a medical doctor and naturalist. She befriended Scot
Scot
A Scot is a member of an ethnic group indigenous to Scotland, derived from the Latin name of Irish raiders, the Scoti.Scot may also refer to:People with the given name Scot:* Scot Brantley , American football linebacker...
James Townsend Mackay (1775–1862), a curator at the Botanic Garden of Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
. His influence helped her in the classification of plants she was collecting. She contributed to his Flora Hibernica. Hutchins was an avid collector of cryptogamic species, and their pictorial representations. She collected around her homeplace in Bantry and in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
and in the West of Ireland. She had a major influence in the collection and line drawing of seaweeds. In 1807 these were sent to Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner was an English banker, botanist and antiquary.-Life:Turner was the son of James Turner, head of the Gurney and Turner's Yarmouth Bank and Elizabeth Cotman, the only daughter of the mayor of Yarmouth, John Cotman. He was educated at North Walsham Grammar School, Norfolk and at Barton...
's Fuci. She also contributed in 1804 to his Muscologiae Hibernicae Specilegium, the first work on Irish mosses. She contributed to Lewis Weston Dillwyn
Lewis Weston Dillwyn
Lewis Weston Dillwyn, FRS was a British porcelain manufacturer, naturalist and Member of Parliament.He was born in Walthamstow, Essex, the eldest son of William Dillwyn and Sarah Dillwyn...
's work British Confervae. Her rare finds included lichens, and three species are called after her:
- Lecania hutchinsiae
- Pertusaria hutchinsiae
- Enterographa hutchinsiae
At least three marine algae are named in her honour:
- Cladophora hutchinsiae (Dillwyn) Kützing (= Conferva hutchinsiae Dillwyn) http://www.algaebase.org/search/?genus=Cladophora&species=hutchinsiae
- Dasya hutchinsiae Harvey http://www.algaebase.org/search/?genus=dasya&species=hutchinsiae
- Ceramium hutchinsiae Mertens http://www.algaebase.org/search/?genus=ceramium&species=hutchinsiae
On her death her collection passed to Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner
Dawson Turner was an English banker, botanist and antiquary.-Life:Turner was the son of James Turner, head of the Gurney and Turner's Yarmouth Bank and Elizabeth Cotman, the only daughter of the mayor of Yarmouth, John Cotman. He was educated at North Walsham Grammar School, Norfolk and at Barton...
and are now in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
, with some in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
City Museum.
The genus Hutchinsia (Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae, a medium sized and economically important family of flowering plants , are informally known as the mustards, mustard flowers, the crucifers or the cabbage family....
) was named in her honour and, even if now replaced by the name Hornungia
Hornungia
Hornungia is a small genus of plants in the mustard family. It currently contains three species that have previously been classified as members of other genera, including Hutchinsia and Pritzelago. The genera, and sometimes several others, are usually treated as synonyms.Species:*Hornungia alpina...
, the common name "Hutchinsia" persists in the UK for Hornungia petraea. C. Agardh
See also
- Historic Cork GardensHistoric Cork Gardens-Annes Grove Gardens:Started by Richard Grove Annesley, in the grounds of a house near Fermoy dating from the early eighteenth century. Home to many Himalayan rhododendrons, some from seeds collected by Captain Frank Kingdon-Ward in Burma and Tibet in 1924...
- List of Cork people
- List of Irish people
- GlengarriffGlengarriffGlengarriff is a village of approximately 800 people on the N71 national secondary road in the south-west region of County Cork, Ireland. Known internationally as a tourism venue, it boasts many natural attractions...