Edward Martyn Rix (born 15 August 1943) is a British
botanist
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
,
collector,
horticulturalist and author. Following completion of a PhD on ''
Fritillaria
''Fritillaria'' (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, ''Fritillaria meleagris'', was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the ...
'' at
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, he worked in
Zurich, Switzerland and at the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
gardens at
Wisley
__NOTOC__
Wisley is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England between Cobham and Woking, in the Borough of Guildford. It is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Garden. The River Wey runs through the village and Ockham and ...
. He is the author of many books and articles on plants and horticulture and is the editor of
Curtis's Botanical Magazine, based at the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...
in London.
Life
Born on 15 August 1943 to Edward Lionel Reusner and Elizabeth (Joyce) Rix, Martyn Rix was educated at
Trinity College Dublin (MA), and Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
, where he received his
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
at biology school in 1971 for his dissertation on ''
Fritillaria
''Fritillaria'' (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, ''Fritillaria meleagris'', was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the ...
'' in Greece and Turkey (partially published as ). He married Alison Jane Goatcher in 1983, with whom he frequently collaborates, and they have two daughters.
Work
Following completion of his doctorate he worked as a fellow at the Institute of Systematic Botany,
University of Zurich, studying
water weeds of India and co-authoring ''Waterplants of the World'' (1971–1973), before becoming a botanist at the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
,
Wisley
__NOTOC__
Wisley is a village and civil parish in Surrey, England between Cobham and Woking, in the Borough of Guildford. It is the home of the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Garden. The River Wey runs through the village and Ockham and ...
(1974–1978). He travelled widely, collecting and photographing plants, including
botanical expeditions to China, Mexico, South Africa and Argentina, and introducing a large number of plants into
cultivation in Europe and North America. He has been involved in the design and planting of gardens in many parts of the world including California, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, Turkey, France and Italy. Together with plant photographer
Roger Phillips, David Lindsay and Sam Phillips, he ran an internet site called ''RogersRoses''.
Martyn Rix works at the
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...
and is a Fellow of the
Linnean Society of London
The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature colle ...
(FLS). His major interest is
Liliaceae
The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a fair ...
, especially ''
Fritillaria
''Fritillaria'' (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, ''Fritillaria meleagris'', was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the ...
''.
Publications
Rix has authored contributions in many major botanical texts including ''The European Garden Flora'', ''
Flora Europaea'', ''Flora of Turkey'', the
Kew Bulletin and has been editor of
Curtis's Botanical Magazine since 2003. He is the author of a number of books including ''Art of the Plant World'', ''Art in Nature'' and ''Redoute Album''. The latter deals with the work of the botanical artist
Pierre-Joseph Redouté. he has also contributed to television programmes such as ''The Quest for the Rose'' (BBC). Together with Roger Phillips he has contributed to over thirty plant books. Martyn Rix writes for magazines such as
Country Life, ''Gardens Illustrated'', ''The English Garden Magazine'' and ''
Cornucopia''.
List of selected publications
''see ''
Books
* ''Water Plants of the World: a Manual for the Identification of the Genera of Freshwater Macrophytes'' , C.D.K. Cook, B.J. Gut, E. Martyn Rix, Jakob Schneller, Marta Seitz, Dr.
W. Junk B.V. Publishers (1974),
* ''Art of the Plant World'', Martyn Rix, Penguin Group USA (1982),
* ''Garden Open Today: To Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the National Gardens Scheme'', Martyn Rix, Alison Rix, Viking (1987),
* ''Redoute Album'', Martyn Rix, Alison Rix Studio Edns. (1990) 310 pp.
* ''Art in Nature'', Martyn Rix, : Studio Edns. (1991),
* ''The Quest for the Rose'', Roger Phillips, Martyn Rix, Random House Inc (1994),
* ''Best Rose Guide: A Comprehensive Selection'', Roger Phillips, Martyn Rix, Firefly Books Ltd (2004),
* ''The Botanical Garden 2005 Calendar'', Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix, Firefly Books Ltd (2004),
* ''The Botanical Garden 2006 Calendar'', Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix, Firefly Books Ltd (2005),
* ''The Botanical Garden 2007 Calendar'', Roger Phillips & Martyn Rix, Firefly Books Ltd (2006),
* ''Subtropical and Dry Climate Plants: The Definitive Practical Guide'', Martyn Rix,
Timber Press
Workman Publishing Company, Inc., is an American Publishing companies, publisher of Tradebook, trade books founded by Peter Workman. The company is comprised of either Imprint (trade name), imprints: Workman, Workman Children’s, Workman Calenda ...
(2006),
* ''Growing bulbs'' Croom Helm. 209 pp. (1983)
* ''Roses'' Random House Roger Phillips, E. Martyn Rix 224 pp. (1988)
* ''The art of botanical illustration''. Arch Cape Press. 224 pp. (1990)
* ''Conservatory and indoor plants''. The garden plant series, Volume 1 of Conservatory and indoor plants: plants for warm gardens. Roger Phillips, E. Martyn Rix, Alison Rix Pan. 286 pp. (1998)
* ''The ultimate guide to roses: a comprehensive selection'' Roger Phillips, E. Martyn Rix Macmillan. 288 pp. (2004)
* ''Treasures of botanical art: icons from the Shirley Sherwood and Kew collections. Sherwood, Shirley, E. Martyn Rix Kew Pub. 272 pp. (2008)
* ''see also''
Flora Europaea
*
Articles
*
*
*
* -----,
Brian Mathew
Brian Frederick Mathew MBE, VMH is a British botanist, born in the village of Limpsfield, Surrey, England. His particular area of expertise is bulbous plants, particularly ornamental bulbous plants, although he has contributed to other fields o ...
2007. ''Puschkinia peshmenii Hyacinthaceae''.
Curtis's Botanical Magazine 24 ( 1 ): 54-57
*
Thesis
*
Awards
In 1998 Rix was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's
Veitch Memorial Gold Medal.
Legacy
Martyn Rix is the
botanical authority for 33
taxa that bear his name, such as ''
Fritillaria gussichiae''.
The following plants are named after Martyn Rix:
* ''
Bellevalia
''Bellevalia'' is a genus of plants in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae. It was first described as a genus in 1808.
The approximately 65 species are found from the Mediterranean: Turkey (about 12 species) and Israel (12 species), ...
rixii''
Wendelbo
* ''
Fritillaria
''Fritillaria'' (fritillaries) is a genus of spring flowering herbaceous bulbous perennial plants in the lily family (Liliaceae). The type species, ''Fritillaria meleagris'', was first described in Europe in 1571, while other species from the ...
rixii''
Zaharof[Nordic J. Bot. 6(6): 727 1986 (IK)]
References
Bibliography
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External links
Kent Alpine Gardener's DiaryTalk given at
Alpine Garden Society, Kent 2015
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rix, Martyn
British botanists
1943 births
Living people