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William T. Stearn (16 April 1911 – 9 May 2001) was a British botanist. Born in Cambridge, he was largely self-educated. He was head librarian at the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library in London from 1933 to 1952, and then moved to the Natural History Museum where he was a scientific officer in the botany department until 1976. After retirement, he became the president of the Linnean Society and taught botany at Cambridge University. He is known for his work in botanical taxonomy, history, and illustration, and for his studies of the Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus. Stearn is the author of Botanical Latin, as well as the Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners, a popular guide to the scientific names of plants. He is considered one of the most eminent British botanists of his time. An essay prize in his name from the Society for the History of Natural History is awarded each year. (Full article...)

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