Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Henfrey, Arthur
HENFREY, ARTHUR (1819–1859), botanist, was born of English parents at Aberdeen on 1 Nov. 1819. He studied medicine and surgery at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and was admitted a member of the College of Surgeons in 1843. Weak health and a tendency to asthma rendering medical practice impossible, he took to scientific pursuits, especially botany.
In 1847 he lectured on plants at the medical school, St. George's Hospital; succeeded Edward Forbes [q. v.] in the botanical chair at King's College in 1853; and was examiner in natural history to the Royal Military Academy and also to the Society of Arts. He was elected an associate of the Linnean Society in 1843, and a fellow in the next year. Henfrey was greatly esteemed by his contemporaries for his sympathetic disposition, genial manners, and never-failing readiness to oblige and help his colleagues. He died at Turnham Green on 7 Sept. 1859. He married Elizabeth Anne, eldest daughter of the Hon. Jabez Henfrey. Henry William Henfrey [q. v.], the numismatist, was his son.
Henfrey wrote: 1. ‘Anatomical Manipulations,’ 1844, in conjunction with A. Tulk. 2. ‘Outlines of Structural and Physiological Botany,’ 1847. 3. ‘Reports and Papers on Botany,’ Ray Society, 1849. 4. ‘The Rudiments of Botany,’ 1849; 2nd edit. 1859. 5. ‘The Vegetation of Europe, its Conditions and Causes,’ 1852. 6. ‘The Relations of Botanical Science to other Branches of Knowledge,’ 1854. 7. ‘Introductory Address, King's College, London,’ 1856. 8. ‘An Elementary Course of Botany,’ 1857; fourth ed. 1884. 9. ‘On the Educational Claims of Botanical Science,’ 1857. He also translated: 1. ‘On Vegetable Cells,’ by C. Nägelli; for the Ray Society, 1846. 2. ‘Chemical Field Lectures,’ by J. A. Stöckhardt, 1847. 3. ‘The Earth, Plants, and Man,’ by J. F. Schouw, 1847. 4. ‘The Plant,’ by M. J. Schleiden, 1848. 5. ‘Principles of the Anatomy of the Vegetable Cell,’ by H. von Mohl, 1851. He edited: 1. ‘Scientific Memoirs (New Series, Natural History),’ 1837, in conjunction with Professor Huxley. 2. ‘The Botanical Gazette,’ 1849. 3. ‘Journal of the Photographic Society,’ vols. i. and ii., 1853. 4. ‘Micrographic Dictionary,’ 1854, in conjunction with J. W. Griffith. 5. A revised and enlarged edition of G. W. Francis's [q. v.] ‘Anatomy of the British Ferns,’ 1855.
The genus Henfreya of Lindley, a handsome genus of ‘Acanthaceæ,’ is merged in Asystasia of Blume.
[Proc. Linn. Soc. 1859–60, p. 23; Athenæum, July–December 1859, p. 341; Journal of Botany, 1889, p. 82; Jackson's Guide Lit. Bot. p. 557; Brit. Mus. Cat.]