José Celestino Mutis: Spanish Priest and Father of Colombian Botany

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Growing in Cloud Forests Today is the birthday of the Spanish priest, botanist, and mathematician José Celestino Mutis. Recognized as a distinguished botanist in his home country of Spain, Mutis was the architect of the Royal Botanical Expedition of the N. Kingdom of Granada (what is now Columbia) in 1783. For almost 50 years, Mutis…

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Quinine, Quarrels, and Quiet Dignity: The Life of Botanist David Prain

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This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. July 11, 1857 On this day in the quaint Scottish village of Fettercairn, a certain David Prain drew his first breath—a seemingly unremarkable event that would, in time, prove to be anything but.…

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