294 
HISTORY OF BOTANY. 
the first native of our country who was conspicuous for botani- 
cal resea r ches. 
Houston investigated the region of Canada, and described 
many of its plants ; in honor of him is named the little flower 
Houstonia ccerulea. 
Clayton made a list of Virginian plants, and is commemora- 
ted in the beautiful Clayto.nia virginica. 
Kahn, a pupil of Linnaeus, whose name is given to the Kal- 
mia, (American laurel,) spent three years in America, and re- 
turned to Europe laden with botanical treasures ; the sight of 
the American plants brought by his pupil, many of which were 
entirely new to him, is said to have produced such an effect 
upon Linnaeus, that although lying ill of the gout, and unable to 
move, his spirits were rekindled, and in the delight of his mind 
he forgot his bodily anguish, and recovered from his disease. 
Among the earliest botanists of North America, were Colden, 
Michaux, and Muhlenberg ; Pursh was the first who furnished 
a system of North American plants, so arranged as to be useful 
to the student. Some of the first teachers of the science were 
Barton, Hosack and Mitchel. The first lecturer on Botany in the 
interior of North America, was Professor Amos Eaton. Dr. 
Bigelow gave a course of lectures in Boston, in the year 1S13, 
and soon after published his Boston Flora. 
Professor Ives and Dr. Tully did much in New England to- 
wards awakening a zeal for the science, in the years 1815 and 
1816 ; and at a later period, Dr. Sumner has pursued and illus- 
trated the study with much ardor and success. 
Want of books was a great impediment to the progress of the 
science when Eaton published his Botanical Dictionary and 
Manual of Botany ; this book gave a new impulse to the pro- 
gress of the science ; its familiar method, and simple style indu- 
ced many to commence the study. This was followed by many 
other works describing plants, and several elementary works ; 
of the former class were Nuttall’s Genera, Elliott’s Southern 
Plants, Barton’s Flora of Philadelphia, Darlington’s Torrey’s, 
and Bigelow’s Floras ; these furnished descriptions of most 
American plants, not included in the works of Pursh. Among 
the Elementary works are “ Barton’s Elements,” a large work 
containing much that is interesting in the physiology of plants ; 
“ Lock’s Botany,” a small book, but exhibiting a plan of ar- 
rangement simple and methodical; “Sumner’s Compendium 
of Botany,” written in a beautiful and pure style ; and more re- 
cently, “ Nuttall’s Elementary Work,” which gives in popular 
language more facts with regard to plants, than almost any 
American Naturalists. 
