Biography

English businessman from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland who was a merchant in Leeds and co-founder (1830) of the trading firm of Klee, Skinner and Co. in Guatemala, which quickly became one of the most important businesses in the country. Skinner was interested in natural history and sent specimens of birds and insects to the Natural History Museum at Manchester. A student, J. Bateman, saw his material and wrote asking if Skinner would send orchids. This was the basis of a partnership which would result in the collection and description of a great many orchids and other plants. Live material sent to the company of Veitch & Son was so prolific that a whole hothouse was dedicated to Central American orchids collected by Skinner. His collections spanned almost 4 decades but during his last expedition to Panama he caught yellow fever and died the day before his planned return to England. Cattleya skinneri Bateman was based on his discovery in Guatamala and later designated the National Flower of Costa Rica (1939). Material of the genus Lycaste Lindl. was first discovered by Skinner and Lycaste skinneri Lindl. is the now National Flower of Guatemala. The genus Uroskinnera Lindl. in the Scrophulariaceae was also named in his honour.