William Henry Lang facts for kids

William Henry Lang (born May 12, 1874 – died August 29, 1960) was a British scientist who studied plants. He was a professor at the University of Manchester, where he focused on plants that reproduce without seeds, like ferns and mosses. He also became an expert in studying ancient plants from fossils.

Early Life and Education

William Henry Lang was born in Groombridge, Sussex, England. His father, Thomas Bilsland Lang, was a doctor.

William went to school in Glasgow, Scotland, at Dennistoun Public School. Later, he studied at the University of Glasgow. In 1894, he earned a science degree with honors in botany (the study of plants) and zoology (the study of animals). He also qualified to be a doctor in 1895, but he chose to follow his passion for plants instead.

Becoming a Botanist

William was inspired by his teacher, Frederick Orpen Bower, who was an expert on ferns. William started his own research by studying how ferns are built.

In 1895, he moved to the Jodrell Laboratory to continue his studies. There, he made an important discovery about ferns. He found a sporangium (a part that produces spores for reproduction) on the prothallus (a small, heart-shaped part of the fern's life cycle). This was exciting because scientists were looking for new ways plants could reproduce.

Exploring and Teaching

In 1899, William traveled to Sri Lanka and Malaya (now part of Malaysia). He went there to study and collect samples of tropical cryptogams. These are plants that reproduce using spores, like ferns, mosses, and fungi. He returned to Britain in 1902.

Work at Glasgow University

After his travels, William became a lecturer at the University of Glasgow. He worked closely with two other scientists, D. T. Gwynne-Vaughan and Frederick Orpen Bower. They were known for their teamwork in plant research.

Studying Ancient Plants

After Gwynne-Vaughan passed away in 1915, William started studying preserved plant fossils in Aberdeen. He made big discoveries about an ancient plant called Psilophyton. This plant had been mostly ignored by other scientists until William studied it.

In 1909, William became the first professor of cryptogamic botany at the University of Manchester. This was a special job created just for studying spore-producing plants.

Awards and Recognition

William Henry Lang received many awards for his important work in botany:

• In 1911, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK.
• In 1931, he was given the Royal Medal for his research on ancient fern-like fossils found in sandstone.
• In 1926, he was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
• He received honorary doctorates from the University of Glasgow in 1932 and Manchester University in 1942.

William was also known for supporting women who wanted to study botany. He encouraged and influenced several female botanists, including Irene Manton.

Later Life

After he retired, William moved to Westmorland. His wife, Elsa Valentine, passed away in 1959. William died about a year later, on August 29, 1960, at his home in Milnthorpe. He and his wife did not have any children.