John Hutton Balfour

John Hutton Balfour (15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884) was a Scottish botanist. Balfour became a Professor of Botany, first at the University of Glasgow in 1841, moving to the University of Edinburgh and also becoming the 7th Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Her Majesty's Botanist in 1845. He held these posts until his retirement in 1879. He was nicknamed Woody Fibre.

Early life

He was the son of Andrew Balfour, an Army Surgeon who had returned to Edinburgh to set up a printing and publishing business.

Balfour was educated at the Royal High School in Edinburgh and then studied at St Andrews University and the University of Edinburgh, graduating with degrees of M.A. and then M.D., the latter in 1832. In Edinburgh, he became a notable member of the Plinian Society, where he encountered the phrenologist William A.F. Browne and entered the vigorous debates concerning natural history and theology. His original intention had been to seek ordination in the Church of Scotland but instead he started medical practice in Edinburgh in 1834 after studying abroad.

In 1834 Balfour was elected a member of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh and served as President in 1852. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in January 1835, aged only 26. He was one of their longest serving members. He was General Secretary 1860–1879 and Vice President 1881-3.

Botany

With an interest in botany, Balfour was prominent in the foundation of both the Botanical Society of Edinburgh in 1836 (serving as President in 1845–46) and the Edinburgh Botanical Club in 1838.