Edward Whittall (botanist)

Edward Whittall (1851 – 1917) was a British botanist and plant collector who made significant contributions to the understanding of the flora of western Turkey, particularly the region around Smyrna (modern-day İzmir).

Whittall was born in Smyrna, where his family had established a successful trading company. While involved in the family business, he developed a keen interest in botany, which he pursued as an amateur. He became a meticulous collector, focusing on the plants of the Aegean region.

His activities included extensive field work, collecting specimens and corresponding with leading botanists of his time, including Peter Davis and Otto Stapf at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. These collections contributed greatly to the knowledge of the local flora, as he documented many previously unrecorded species and variations.

Whittall's specimens are now housed in several major herbaria, most notably at Kew, where they form an important resource for researchers studying the plant life of Turkey. His dedicated work helped to expand botanical knowledge of a region relatively understudied at the time. He is commemorated in the names of several plant species.

He was a member of the British Ornithologists' Union, indicating an interest extending beyond botany. He died in Smyrna in 1917.