British botanist who spent the second half of his career at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. One of Philipson's specialisms was the Araliaceae and he also authored works on rhododendrons and popular botanical guides. Philipson was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1933. After two years' research work at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, he began his career at the British Museum (Natural History) in London in 1935, gaining his PhD from the University of London in 1947. In 1951 he emigrated to New Zealand to take up the post of professor of botany at Canterbury University in Christchurch, where he went on to serve as head of the newly formed department.

Philipson collected in a variety of localities. During his time at the British Museum he made botanical explorations in the West Indies (1939) and in little known parts of Colombia, the latter resulting in his 1952 publication, The immaculate forest: an account of an expedition to unexplored territories between the Andes and the Amazon. After moving to New Zealand he made trips to the Cook Islands and New Guinea (1968, 1969), where he collected plants with his wife, Melva N. Philipson, particularly focussing on Rhododendron and Araliaceae specimens. At Canterbury he spent much time with his students at the Cass Field Station, where he trained them in systematics and the study of ecology. With Garth Brownlie he authored the Flora of Cass (1958). Following his retirement Philipson was made emeritus professor at Canterbury. He died in Greytown, New Zealand.

Sources:
J.H. Barnhart, 1965, Biographical Notes Upon Botanists, 3: 81
B.A. Fineran, 1997, William Raymond Philipson: BSc Cambridge, PhD London, FRSNZ, FLS, FNZIH: 1911-1997.