George Henry Kendrick Thwaites facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Henry Kendrick Thwaites
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| Born | 9 July 1812 |
| Died | 11 September 1882 (aged 70) Kandy
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| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom |
| Known for | Enumeratio Plantarum Zeylaniæ Lepidoptera of Ceylon |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Botany Entomology |
| Institutions | Bristol School of Pharmacy Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya Hakgala Botanical Garden |
George Henry Kendrick Thwaites (born July 9, 1812, in Bristol, England – died September 11, 1882, in Kandy, Sri Lanka) was a famous English botanist and entomologist. A botanist studies plants, and an entomologist studies insects. He was known for his important work on plants and insects in Sri Lanka.
George Thwaites first worked as an accountant. But in his free time, he loved to study plants. He was especially interested in tiny plants like algae and other simple plants. He became well-known when he proved that diatoms, which are tiny living things, were actually a type of algae, not animals.
In 1846, he started teaching botany at a school in Bristol. Later, he taught at a medical school. In 1849, he became the head of the botanical gardens in Peradeniya, which is in Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon). He worked there for 30 years, until 1879.
Discovering New Plants and Insects
George Thwaites did a lot of important work in Sri Lanka. He wrote a big book called Enumeratio Plantarum Zeylaniæ. This book described many plants found in Sri Lanka between 1859 and 1864. Because of his great work, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1865. This is a very special honor for scientists.
He also helped with another important book called Lepidoptera of Ceylon. This book was about the butterflies and moths of Sri Lanka. His detailed notes made up a very important part of this book.
Helping Agriculture in Sri Lanka
Thwaites also helped set up special nurseries for Cinchona plants in Hakgala, Sri Lanka. Cinchona trees are important because their bark is used to make quinine, a medicine for malaria. He also helped manage a farm that later became the Royal Colombo Golf Course.
His Lasting Legacy
Many plants and animals have been named after George Thwaites to honor his work.
- A flowering plant from India and Sri Lanka is named Kendrickia.
- A type of spider is named Thwaitesia.
- A species of lizard found in Sri Lanka is called Chalcidoseps thwaitesi.
- A butterfly is named Tapena thwaitesi.
