Gray Asa

Gray, Asa (1810-1888), a distinguished American botanist, was born at Paris in the state of New York. He studied under Professor Torrey, and in 1842 was appointed Professor of Natural History at Harvard. In 1874 he became regent of the Smithsonian Institution. He was influential in introducing a more natural system of classification in the science of botany, and did much to extend the views of Darwin in America. His chief work was his Genera Flora? Americce Boreali-Orientalis Illustrata (1848-50).