> [!cite] BHL link: this entry starts at [page 850](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/33333989) of TL-2 Vol. V > Author links: [IPNI](https://www.ipni.org/a/10044-1) LSID 10044-1, [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1484289) QID Q1484289 > Support pages: [[Abbreviations|abbreviations]], [[Layout key|layout key]], [[Cite TL-2|cite TL-2]] ### Author Stearn, William Thomas (1911-x), British botanist; apprentice antiquarian bookseller Cambridge 1929-1932; librarian Royal Horticultural Society 1933-1941, 1946-1952; with Royal Air Force in Britain, India and Birma 1941-1946; botanist British Museum (Nat. Hist.) 1952-1976; founder member of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History; D.Sc.h.c. Leiden 1960; Hon. Sc.D. Cambridge 1967; Dr. phil. h.c. Uppsala 1972; Linnean gold medal 1976; commander of the Royal Order of the Northern Star 1980, etc. etc.; outstanding botanical historian and bibliographer, a modern Linnaeus; through his continued support and stimulation godfather of TL-2. **Abbreviated name**: *Stearn* \[standard form in IPNI: *Stearn*\] #### Herbarium and types [[Collection BM|BM]]. – Other material at [[Collection BH|BH]], [[Collection CGE|CGE]], [[Collection K|K]], [[Collection NY|NY]], [[Collection OXF|OXF]], [[Collection W|W]]. *Exsiccatae*: J.S.L. Gilmour & W.T. Stearn, *Herbarium florae cantabrigiense* and *Sertum cantabrigiense exsiccatum* (1933). – *Letters* at [[Collection G|G]]. #### Bibliography and biography Ainsworth p. 305-306; Barnhart 3: 319 (b. 16 Apr 1911); BFM p. 319 (index); Bossert p. 381; Clokie p. 248; GF p. 87; Hortus 3: 1204; HU 2(1): ccxliii, (index); IF suppl. 4: 339; IH 1 (ed. 2): 74, (ed. 3): 93, (ed. 4): 102; (ed. 5): 107, (ed. 6): 155, 156, (ed. 7): 158, 159, 2: (files); Langman p. 719-720; Lenley p. 383; MW p. 470-471, suppl. 332-333; NI see indexes; PH 209; Roon p. 107; TL-2/147, 270, 429, 825, 778, 2494, 2981, 4714, 4737, 4769, 4778, 4831, 6056, 6157, 8293, 8699, 8703, 9151; Who's who (London) 1977-1980; Zander ed. 10, p. 720, ed. 11, p. 822. #### Biofile - Anon., Arnoldia 32: front cover of no. 4, p. 191. 1972 (portr.).; B.S.B.I. News *13*: 5. 1976 (award); Fl. males. Bull. 10: 355. 1953 (app. BM(NH)), 16: 797. 1961 (Dr. sc. h.c. Leiden), 30: 2750. 1977 (Linn. gold. medal); Linnean Society, London, News Items 1979, p. 1 (president Linn. Soc); Newsletter Soc. Bibl. Nat. Hist. 6: 21. 1980 (order Northern Star); Taxon 1: 67. 1952 (app. BM(NH)), 29: 682. 1980 (order Northern Star), 30: 369. 1981 (corr. memb. A.S.P.T.), 32: 162. 1983 (honors), 33: 162. 1984 (Foreign memb. Swed. Acad.). - Blunt, W., The compleat naturalist 256 \[index\]. 1971. - Festing, S., New Scientist 10 Aug 1978, p. 410-411 (profile, portr.). - Fletcher, H.R., Story R. Hort. Soc. 361, 364, 381, 411-413, 419. 1969. - Hadfield, M. et al., Brit. gardeners 270, 272. 1980. - Kent, D.H. & D.E. Allen, Brit. Irish herb. 249. 1984. - Lipschitz, S., Fl. URSS fontes nos. 59, 60, 1745. 1975. - Lowden, R.M., Taxon, index pers. names vols. 1-30. 697-698. 1985. - Manton, I., Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 8: 356-357. 1976 (Linnean Gold Medal). - Merrill, E.D., Chron. bot. 14: 182, 352, 353, 362. 1954 (bot. Cook's voy.). - Verdoorn, F., ed., Chron. bot. 1: 358. 1935, 2: 374. 1936, 4: 61, 533. 1938, 5: 124, 169, 307, 370, 513. 1939, 6: 166. 1941. #### Main bibliography Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 8(4): 299-318. 1976 (with index). – Stearn's contributions to the bibliography and in general the correct interpretation and history of classical taxonomic publications, from Carl Linnaeus to Agnes Arber, are of the greatest importance to modern taxonomy. Under "Composite works" we cite the main reissues of classical works, mosty with detailed and very pertinent introductions. Of the book publications after 1939 we refer to Stearn's *Botanical Latin* of 1966 (xiv, 566 p.; see e.g. F. Markgraf, Bot. Jahrb. 85: 25-32. 1966 and F.A. Stafleu, Taxon 15: 235-237. 1966). #### Composite works - (1) Facsimile ed. with introduction, H.A. Duval, *Plantae succulentae in Horto alenconio*, 1939, see TL-2/1608. - (2) Curtis's *Botanical Magazine index*, vol. 1-vol. 164, with F.J. Chittenden, London 1956. - (3) C. Linnaeus, *Species plantarum* 1753, facsimile ed. 1957-1959, with introductions by W.T.S. and J.L. Heller. Roy. Society 140, 142. – See TL-2/4769. - (4) C. Linnaeus, *Genera plantarum*, ed. 5, facsimile ed. with notes. 1960. – See TL-2/4714, 4778. - (5) R. Brown, *Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae*, facsimile ed. with introduction. 1960.– See TL-2/825. - (6) F. Kingdon-Ward, *Pilgrimage for plants* 1960, Biographical introduction and list of publications, p. 11-18, 181-186. - (7) C. Linnaeus, *Mantissa plantarum*, facsimile ed. with notes, 1961. – See TL-2/4831. - (8) *Catalogue of botanical books in the collection of R.M.M. Hunt*, introduction on botanical gardens and botanical literature in the eighteenth century, 2(1): xli-cxl. 1961. - (9) *Three prefaces on Linnaeus and Robert Brown*, 1962, reprint of items 4, 5 and 7. - (10) A. Arber, *Water plants*, introduction to reprint 1963, p. iii-xii.- See TL-2/147. - (11) R. Bentham & J.D. Hooker, *Genera plantarum*. Facsimile ed. 1965, introduction 16 p. – See TL-2/429. - (12) W. Turner, *Libellus, Names of Herbes*, facsimile ed. 1965. - (13) A. Haworth, *Complete works on succulent plants*, facsimile ed. 1966, introduction 80 p., in vol. I. – See TL-2/2494. - (14) C. Moench, *Methodus horti botanici et agri marburgensis*, facsimile ed. 1966, introduction, 16 p. – See TL-2/6167. - (15) P. Miller, *The gardeners dictionary, abridged*, ed. 4, facsimile ed. 1969, introduction, 16 p. – See TL-2/6056. - (16) W. Curtis, *A short history of the Brown-tail moth*, facsimile ed. 1969, introduction "William Curtis 1746-1799, botanist and entomologist, 12 p. - (17) With W. Blunt, ed., *Captain Cook's florilegium*. A selection of engravings from the drawings of plants collected by Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander on Captain Cook's first voyage... London 1973. - (18) Linnaeus's *Öland and Gotland Journey* 1741, translated from the Swedish edition 1745 by Marie Åsberg and W.T.S.... Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 5: 1-107, 109-220. 1973. – See TL-2/4737. - (19) K.B. Presi, *Reliquiae haenkeanae*, facsimile ed. 1973, introduction 19 p. – See TL-2/8293. - (20) J. Ray, *Synopsis methodica* facsimile ed. 1973, introduction 90 p. – See TL-2/4776. – Includes a facsimile of C. Linnaeus, *Fl. angl*. 1754. - (21) A. von Hayek, *Prodr.fl. penins. balcan*., 3 vols. 1924-1933, facsimile ed. 1970, has a reprint of W.T. Stearn, *Hayek's* "*Prodromus*...", originally published J. Soc. Bibl. nat. Hist. 1: 117-119. Dec 1937. – See TL-2/2504. - (22) With H.B. Drysdale Woodcock (q.v.), *Lilies of the world*, 1950. - (23) Contributed *Martyniaceae* and *Myristicaceae* to E.R. Farr et al., *Index nominum genericorum* 1979. ### Publications ##### n.12.836. Schedae ad Herbarium florae cantabrigiensis **Title** Notes from the University Herbarium Cambridge. 3. *Schedae ad Herbarium florae cantabrigiensis* a W.T. Stearn et J.S.L. Gilmour editum. Decades I.-11. 4. Schedae ad Sertum cantabrigiense exsiccatum a W.T. Stearn editum. Decades i.-ii. \[Extracted from The Journal of Botany, 1932\]. Qu. **Notes** *Co-author* (3): John Scott Lennox Gilmour (1906-x). *Publ*.: Aug-Dec 1932 (in journal), cover-t.p., p. \[1\]-29. *Copies*: FAS, NY. – Reprinted from J. Bot. 70, Suppl. 1-8. Aug, 9-16. Sep, 17-24. Nov, 25-29. Dec 1932. ##### n.12.837. Epimedium and Vancouveria **Title** *Epimedium and Vancouveria* (Berberidaceae), a Monograph. \[Extracted from The Linnean Society's Journal-Botany, vol. li. (no. 340), 28 November 1938\]. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: 28 Nov-19 Dec 1938 (date on cover reprint: 28 Nov 1938; W.T.S. sent a copy to US on 19 Dec 1938; published "December" fide W.T. Stearn (1976, bibliography, no. 46), cover-t.p., p. \[409\]-535, *pl. 24-31. Copies*: NY, U, US. – Reprinted and to be cited from Linn. Soc. J., Bot. 51: \[409\]-435, *pl. 24-31*. Nov \[i.e. Dec\] 1938. *Preliminary publ*.: Dec 1933, *Some Chinese species of Epimedium*, J. Bot. 71: 343-347. Dec 1933, reprint with original pagination at FI. *Ref*.: Handel-Mazzetti, H., Österr. bot. Z. 88: 235. 1939 (rev.). ##### n.12.838. An annotated index to Salm-Dyck's **Title** *An annotated index to Salm-Dyck's* "*Monographia generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi*" ... Bedford (printed by Rush & Warwick (Bedford), Ltd,...) 1938-1939. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: Dec 1938 and Mar 1939 (in journal), p. \[i\], 34-44, 66-85, *pl. 6-7, 20-21. Copy*: NY. – Reprinted from The Cactus Journal 7(2): 34-39. *pl. 6-7*. Dec 1938, 7(3): 66-84, *pl. 20-21*. Mar 1939. ##### n.12.839. Dates of publication of de Candolle's **Title** *Dates of publication of de Candolle's* "*Prodromus*"... Candollea... 1939. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: Aug 1939, p. \[1\]-4. *Copies*: FAS, US. – Reprinted and to be cited from Candollea 8: \[1\]-4. 1939. ##### n.12.840. Pfeiffer and Otto's **Title** *Pfeiffer and Otto's* "*Abbildung und Beschreibung* Blühender Cacteen". (Reprinted from the Cactus Journal, vol. 8, no. 2, 1939). Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: Dec 1939, p. \[1-8\]. *Copy*: FAS. – Reprinted and to be cited from Cact. J. 8(2): 39-46. Dec 1939. ##### n.12.841. International Code of Nomenclature for cultivated plants **Title** *International Code of Nomenclature for cultivated plants* formulated and adopted by the International Botanical Congress Committee on horticultural Nomenclature and registration at the Thirteenth International Horticultural Congress, London, September 1952, edited by William T. Stearn. London (The Royal Horticultural Society...) 1953. Oct. **Notes** *Publ*.: Jul 1953, p. \[1\]-29. *Copies*: FAS(2), U. – Reprinted in Rep. 13th Int. hort. Congr. 1952, 1: 42-68. 1953. – For the membership of the committee responsible for the text see p. 8-9. – Subsequent editions edited by an International Commission, see below. – Reprinted 1955. *Ed. 1958*: Feb 1958, p. \[1\]-28. *Copies*: FAS, U. – Regnum vegetabile volume 10, 1958. – "*International Code... plants* formulated and adopted by the International Commission for the nomenclature of cultivated plants of the International Union of Biological Sciences edited by the Editorial Committee of the Commission". Utrecht (... International Bureau for Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature...) 1958. Oct. *Editors*: H.R. Fletcher, J.S.L. Gilmour, G.H.M. Lawrence, E.L. Little, Jr., G. Nilsson-Leissner, R. de Vilmorin. *Ed. 1961*: Jun 1961, p. \[1\]-30. *Copies*: FAS, U. – Regnum vegetabile volume 22, 1961. – "*International Code*... plants – 1961 formulated..." Utrecht (id.) 1961. Oct. *Editors*: H.R. Fletcher, J.S.L. Gilmour, G.H.M. Lawrence, J.D. Matthews, G. Nilsson-Leissner, R. de Vilmorin. *Ed. 1969*: Jul 1969, p. \[1\]-32. *Copies*: FAS, U. – Regnum vegetabile volume 64, 1969. – "*International Code*... plants – 1969 formulated..." Utrecht (id.) 1969. Oct. *Editors*: J.S.L. Gilmour, F.R. Horne, E.L. Little Jr., F.A. Stafleu, R.H. Richens. *Ed. 1980*: 1980, p. \[1\]-32. *Copies*: FAS, U. – Regnum vegetabile volume 104, 1980. – "*International Code*... plants 1980 formulated..." Utrecht-The Hague (Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema; Dr. W.Junk...) 1980. Oct. *Editors*: CD. Brickell, E.G. Voss, A.F. Kelly, F. Schneider, R.H. Richens. – ISBN 90-313-0446-8.