Organisation(s)
AWH, B, BM, BR, BUF, C, CAL, CGE, E, F, FI, G, G-BOIS, G-DC, GH, GOET, K, L, LE, M, MA, MO, MPU, OXF, P, PC, S, SING, TCD, U, US, W, Z, ZT
Countries
Malesian region: MalaysiaWestern Asia: AfghanistanEurope: United KingdomIndo-China: MyanmarIndian region: Pakistan, Bhutan, India, Bangladesh
Associate(s)
Bayfield, George (fl. 1813-1837) (co-collector)
East India Company (1600-1873) (employee)
Norris, William (1793-1859) (specimens from)
Wallich, Nathaniel (1786-1854) (co-collector)
Biography
English surgeon and botanist from Ham, Surrey, who was employed as Assistant-Surgeon to the East India Company in Madras (1832) and later became Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Garden (1842-). He travelled widely in India, adjacent countries and Malaysia where he collected botanical specimens, occasionally with others. The genus Griffithia Wright & Arn. was named in his honour, as were many species including the cobra lily Arisaema griffithii Schott and Rhododendron griffithianum Wight. Material was acquired by BM on several occasions including a major donation of part of Griffith's herbarium by the East India Company (1849) and a further 431 specimens from Malaysia bequeathed (1869) with the herbarium of N.B. Ward.
References
Brummitt, R.K. & Powell, C.E., Authors Pl. Names (1992): 242; Jackson, B.D., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1901): 28; Lanjouw, J. & Stafleu, F.A., Index Herb. Coll. E-H (1957): 240; Murray, G.R.M., Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. Dep. Brit. Mus. (1904): 152;
