Charles Alston (botanist)

Charles Alston (1683 – 22 November 1760) was a Scottish botanist.

Alston was born in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, and was apparently raised by the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton.

In 1715 he went to Leyden to study under the Dutch physician Hermann Boerhaave. On his return to Scotland he became lecturer in materia medica and botany at Edinburgh and also superintendent of the botanical gardens. He was a critic of Linnaeus's system of plant classification.

He was appointed Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1716, holding the position until 1760.

He married first Robina Lockhart. Issue-

Robina born 21 Jun 1731 in Canongate who married in Edinburgh on 6 Jan 1754 to Alexander Birnie, of Bromhill, b 1708 d before 1770

He married secondly in Canongate, Edinburgh on 3 Oct 1741 to Bethia, b 1706 daughter of John Birnie, of Broomhill.

He is buried in Canongate Kirkyard on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, immediately east of the church.

The tree genus Alstonia is named after him.

Allen, David E. (2006) [2004]. "Alston, Charles". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/425. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)