16 Facts About Andrew Bloxam

Andrew Bloxam was an English clergyman and naturalist; in his later life he had a particular interest in botany.

Andrew Bloxam was born at Rugby, Warwickshire, on 22 September 1801.

Andrew Bloxam was the fourth son of Rev Richard Rouse Bloxam, who was a schoolmaster at Rugby School, and Ann Lawrence, who was the sister of the painter Sir Thomas Lawrence.

Andrew Bloxam was educated at Rugby School from 1809 and Worcester College, Oxford, from 1820.

Andrew Bloxam's brothers included Matthew Bloxam and John Rouse Bloxam.

Andrew Bloxam remained there until c 1872, when he was made Vicar of Radford Semele and shortly afterwards Rector of Harborough Magna, where he died on 2 February 1878.

In 1866, his daughter Jane Dorothea Andrew Bloxam married Sir Henry Hanson Berney, 9th Bart.

Andrew Bloxam was appointed as a naturalist; his brother Rowland Bloxam was the chaplain.

Andrew Bloxam recorded that it was common and that its "melodious notes" came from the only songster on the island of Oahu.

Andrew Bloxam noticed that the Hawaiian nectar-feeding birds were different from both humming birds and the genus with which they were then associated, Certhia.

Andrew Bloxam put them into a new genus Nectarina and wrote that in their flight they resembled finches.

Andrew Bloxam worked with Babington on the flowering plants of Charnwood Forest.

Andrew Bloxam supplied Hewett C Watson with copies of the London Catalogue of British Plants marked up with plants seen within three miles of Atherstone and of Twycross; this information was incorporated into Watson's Topographical Botany.

Andrew Bloxam was a major contributor to the first Flora of Leicestershire whose author, Mary Kirby, wrote that the Flora "would never have been attempted without [his] encouragement and invaluable assistance" and that "[s]pecimens of every doubtful plant have been submitted to [him]".

Andrew Bloxam had a particular interest in brambles and roses.

Andrew Bloxam gave new scientific names to at least 11 species of fungi in the Index Fungorum, including the Toasted Waxcap, now Hygrocybe colemanniana.