William Bertram Turrill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Bertram Turrill
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| Born | 14 June 1890 Woodstock, Oxfordshire
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| Died | 15 December 1961 (aged 71) |
| Alma mater | Chelsea Polytechnic |
| Spouse(s) | Florence Homan |
| Awards | Linnean Medal (1958) Fellow of the Royal Society Order of the British Empire |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |
| Author abbrev. (botany) | |
William Bertram Turrill (born June 14, 1890 – died December 15, 1961) was an English botanist. A botanist is a scientist who studies plants. He was known for his important work on how plants are classified. He also had a deep knowledge of plants from different parts of the world.
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Early Life and Education
William Bertram Turrill was born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. His parents were William Banbury and Thirza Mary Turrill. He went to school at the Woodstock National School.
During the First World War, he served in the Royal Army Medical Corps. This was a part of the British Army. He mainly served in a place called the Macedonian front.
His Work as a Botanist
Turrill worked at the famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. This is a very important place for plant science in England. He introduced many new ideas there.
One of his interesting ideas was a way to classify leaf shapes using mathematics. This means he used math to describe and group different kinds of leaves.
Awards and Special Honors
William Turrill received several important awards for his work.
- In 1955, he was given the Order of the British Empire. This is a special honor from the British government.
- In 1958, he received the gold medal from the Linnean Society. This is a very respected award for natural scientists.
Also in March 1958, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a group of the most important scientists in the United Kingdom. He was chosen because he was:
Known for his work on how plants are grouped and named. He was especially good at studying British plants using experiments and genetics. He also had amazing knowledge of plants from the Near East.
Personal Life
William Turrill married Florence Homan in 1918.
Plants Named After Him
Many plant species have been named after William Turrill to honor his contributions to botany. These include:
- Veronica turrilliana
- Symplocos turrilliana
- Cryptocarya turrilliana
- Astragalus turrillii
- Cyperus turrillii
