William Griffith was born in Ham Common, Surrey, England on 4th March, 1810. After graduating in Medicine from London University, Griffith worked with John Lindley and became an experienced botanist. He published papers on a variety of topics dealing with flowering plants to liverworts. After completing his studies from London University in 1832 Griffith arrived in India and soon was appointed as Assistant Surgeon by the [— East India Company. In 1835, Griffith was sent as a member of a deputation along with Wallich and Mc Clelland, a geologist to study the tea gardens of Assam. Griffith worked with Wallich for the Tea Committee and conducted tea explorations and other collection work, with him in the Gangetic plains. Later with Captain Jenkins he started working in the Company's Eastern Frontier region. He made significant collections from Mishmi hills and its adjoining areas. He after making extensive plant collections from Assam to Burma and from Eraavati to Rangoon, returned to Calcutta in June, 1839. In November, 1839 he again undertook plant exploration in the Northern region of India. He brought huge collections of plant specimens from Kabul, Hindukush, Khorashan, Afghanistan. His continuous and tiring journey to remote and difficult areas badly affected his health. He returned to Calcutta in 1841 from Simla and worked for some time as a medical doctor. In August, 1842 he was appointed as acting Superintendent of Calcutta Botanic Garden until 1845 in the absence of Nathaniel Wallich, who went on leave due to his ill health. In addition to his duty as the Superintendent of the garden, Griffith was also teaching botany to students in medical college. Griffith was critical of Wallich's maintenance of the garden and he suggested several plans to improve the garden, which were accepted and approved by the Government. As soon as Wallich resumed his duty, Griffith's plans were not taken up and he left for Malacca. Due to deteriorating health, Griffith passed away on 9th February, 1846 at a very young age of 36. Griffith's premature death deprived botanical science of its ablest and most meritorious votaries. His books ' 'cones Plantarum Asiaticarum' (1847- 54), 'The Palms of British India' (1850) were published after his death. Sir George King in 1899, while addressing to British association mentioned about William Griffith-

William Griffith's monument in IBG, Howrah.

" No botanist ever made such extensive explorations nor himself collected so many specimens (about 9000) as Griffith did during the brief thirteen years of Indian career; none ever made so many descriptions of plants from living specimens. His botanical predecessors and contemporaries were men of ability and devotion. Griffith was a man of genius".

A monument was erected in honour of William Griffth stands in the Garden near Small Palm House in Division no.16.