7 IN MEMORIAM 228a 
IN MEMORIAM. 
Botanists and scientific men generally in this country and 
abroad will realize that in the passing away of Dr. Edward Lee 
Greene, the world has lost one of its ablest scholars and a 
modest type of perfect gentlemen. His work for thorough, exact, 
remarkable insight into questions trying and difficult was even 
more respectfully acknowledged and praised in the old world than 
‘at home in America. He was one of those gentle unselfish kindly 
men that allow no obstacle to stand in the way towards the attain- 
ment of truth in every line of endeavor, scientific or religious. 
Concerning the assistance which in a hidden way he gave to 
the needy with the modest means at his hand in pecuniary matters, 
we have heard from all sides, and that too with out any hope or 
expectation of return. His kindness in spending his precious 
time helping others in things scientific has been felt by all who 
have had the pleasure of being associated with him but a short 
time. His particular form of charity was assisting others too 
learn, or educate themselves. 
Scientific research was so thoroughly a passion with him that 
no mere matters of earthly gain or temporal expedience could . 
tempt him from seeking always the higher things. In fact, this 
caption, the motto of his bookmark, has been the guiding ideal 
of his whole long useful and unselfish career: ‘‘Altiora petivimus,”’ 
_ ‘We have striven for the higher things.’’ None but the highest 
and most difficult problems could tempt his attention. 
When the botany of the Eastern United States began to 
languish after Asa Gray, Engellman and ‘Torrey had passed away, 
Dr. Greene fresh from fields of the West, showed the students 
of the Atlantic Flora that many a new and unknown species still 
blushed unseen at their very feet. When he began to publish 
new plants from a region hitherto considered to be well known, 
botanists were at first incredulous, but finally felt that they had 
been lulled to inactivity... When the better part of his life had 
been spent in another field of work, we owe it to him to have 
aroused us in the East to zeal and activity in studying the 
unknown wonders of our botanic region. Not a few journals of 
natural history came into being or were encouraged to higher and 
better work by his coming among us. 
Dr. Greene was born in Hopkinton, R. I., Aug. 20, 1843. 
