author
George Francis Atkinson
1854–1918
A pioneering American botanist and mycologist, he helped shape the study of fungi in the United States and spent much of his career at Cornell University. His work blended careful scientific observation with a naturalist’s curiosity, and he also wrote books that introduced wider audiences to mushrooms and plant life.
2 Audiobooks
Studies of American Fungi. Mushrooms, Edible, Poisonous, etc.
by George Francis Atkinson
Elementary Botany
by George Francis Atkinson
About the author
Born in Raisinville, Michigan, in 1854, George Francis Atkinson became an influential American botanist and mycologist. He studied at Olivet College and later earned his bachelor's degree from Cornell University in 1885. Early in his career he taught at the University of North Carolina before returning to Cornell, where he would do most of his best-known work.
At Cornell, Atkinson rose from professor of cryptogamic botany to chairman of the Botany Department. He became especially well known for his research on fungi and was an important figure in American mycology at a time when the field was still taking shape. He also wrote accessible books, including works on mushrooms and plant study, helping bring scientific knowledge to students and general readers.
His career earned wide respect: he served as president of the Botanical Society of America and was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1918, the year he died. Remembered as both a serious researcher and an energetic teacher, he left a lasting mark on botanical science in the United States.