THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 16o 



JOHN LYON. 



We know little of the early history of John Lyon,* 

 who introduced a number of important species of plants 

 into English gardens (viz. : Nyssa Ogeche in 180f3.) He was 

 probably the son of William Lyon, of Gillogie, in Forfar- 

 shire, Scotland, who was afterward a merchant in London. 

 Lyon came to America toward the close of the last century, 

 for he was placed in charge of the famous gardens at Wood- 

 lands, in Philadelphia, the property of William Hamilton, 

 in 1802. He remained in this position until 1805 when 

 Frederick Pursh took charge. In the following year Lyon 

 sent to England a large collection of Hying plants 

 and seeds, which were sold at auction near London. It is 

 evident he soon returned to America, as he devoted several 

 years to exploring the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida, 

 returning in 1812 to England with another collection of 

 plants. Again Mr. Lyon returned to America, and died 

 before 1818, at Asheville, N. C, where he was buried. 



A number of species of Andromeda were formed by 

 Thomas Nuttall into the genus Lyonia, which commemorates 

 " the name of the late Mr. John Lyon, an indefatigible 

 collector of North American j^lants, who fell a victim to a 

 dangerous epidemic amidst those savage and romantic 

 mountains which had so often been the theatre of his labors." f 

 It was stated by Rev. Mr. Curtiss to Dr. Asa Gray that a 

 portion of his herbarium and his journal were preserved at 

 Asheville, where he thinks they may still be found. J 



*1893. Sargent, Silva of North America, V : SO. 



t Nuttall, Genera 1 : 266. 



X American Journal of Science and Arts, XLII : 10. Prof. Thomas Meehan tells 

 me that it Is doubtful if the herbarium is preserved, but that the McDowell family 

 possess many things left by Lyon. 



