Catharine Johnston
British botanical and scientific illustrator (1794–1871)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Catharine Johnston (née Charles; 1794–1871) was an English botanical illustrator who had a species of marine animal named in her honour.
Life and work
Catharine Charles was born in 1794[2] and was the daughter of William Claudius Charles, a surgeon who had worked in the West Indies.[3] On 23 November 1819, she married George Johnston,[4] a naturalist, and moved to Berwick-on-Tweed, where the couple resided permanently.[5]
Johnston took an active interest in the study of natural history.[5] She assisted her husband in his natural history investigations and illustrated his publications with scientific drawings.[5] She signed her works C. Johnston.[6] On 21 December 1831, she was made an "Extraordinary member" of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club.[7] Her drawings assisted other notable scientists to further their research.[8]
_catharina_by_P_H_Gosse.jpg)
In 1853 Philip Henry Gosse named the marine species Tomopteris (Johnstonella) catharina in her honor stating:
The crystalline Johnstonella: I have pleasure of announcing a new animal of much elegance, which I believe to be of a hitherto unrecognised form. I shall describe it under the appellation of Johnstonella Catharina. (Plate XXV). ... I venture respectfully to appropriate to this marine animal, the surname and christian name of Mrs. Catharine Johnston, as a personal tribute of gratitude for the great aid which I have derived from her engravings in the study of zoophytology.[8]
