John Goldie

John Goldie (21 March 1793 – 23 July 1886) was a Scottish-born botanist, author, and miller. He is credited with recording the existence of fourteen plant species previously unknown to science including Dryopteris goldieana, Stellaria longipes and Drosera linearis. Early life and education Goldie was born in Kirkoswald in 1793, the son of William Goudie and Janet McClure. As a teenager, Goldie had apprenticed as a gardener and was later employed at the Glasgow Botanic Garden where he accumulated most of his knowledge of botany. Having studied language at the University of Glasgow, Goldie was fluent in Greek, French, and Hebrew, although he never registered for a degree due to financial problems. While in Glasgow, he made the acquaintance of James Smith, a well-known local botanist and florist, and began spending time at his home near Minishant. In 1815, on the day the Battle of Waterloo was fought, Goldie married Smith's daughter Margaret and would go on to have nine children with her. Botanical career Shortly after his marriage, the British government decided to send an expedition to the coast of Africa to explore the Congo River. After passing an examination, Goldie was selected to accompany the expedition as a botanist but at the last moment was superseded by someone else. Many of the officers and crew of the expedition contracted and died of coast fever, and the expedition was later abandoned.