British inspector of tea from West Ham, Essex, who was employed by the East India Company and based in Canton (1812-1831). A keen naturalist and collector, he sent material to Joseph Banks including plants of camellia, chrysanthemum, tree paeony and varieties of rose, many of which were the first introductions to Europe. These living plants were first established in porcelain pots before shipment and generally survived well. Material was sent back to a number of contacts in England, including the Horticultural Society of London recently formed by Banks and others. Reeves also commissioned local artists to illustrate native plants and animals, the paintings now mainly in the library of The Natural History Museum. Robert Brown described Abelia uniflora based on a Reeves specimen in Banks' herbarium.