Anglican clergyman, natural historian and artist from Kingstown, Saint Vincent who was appointed colonial chaplain of Saint Vincent. His scientific interests were mainly zoological and he is perhaps best known for his discovery and description of Peripatus (1826). But he also collected the local plants and published on the botany of the Caribbean. He wrote an account of the botanic garden in St Vincent, claimed to be the oldest botanic garden in the western hemisphere (founded 1765) and containing a breadfruit tree grown from the original stock brought to the island by Captain Bligh (1793). Guilding died a few years after his book was published while on vacation in Bermuda. The genus Guildingia Hook. in the Melastonataceae and many species including Asplenium guildingii Jenm., Calliandra guildingii Benth. and Crematomia guildingiana Miers were named in his honour.