William Philip Hiern

Who was William Philip Hiern?

William Philip Hiern was a British mathematician and botanist.

Hiern attended St. John's College, Cambridge, from 1857 to 1861 and attained a "first class degree" in mathematics . Later, in 1886, he attended Oxford University.

Upon his marriage he moved to Surrey and developed an interest in botany.

In 1881, Hiern moved to Barnstaple in north Devonshire, and lived at the manor house adjacent to the Barnstaple Castle mound. Hiern was quite taken with the country squire role and he assumed many public duties including those of the Lord of the Manor of Stoke Rivers, northeast of Barnstaple, and he was one of the original aldermen of the County of Devon.

In 1903, Hiern was elected a fellow of the Royal Society.

Hiern published in over 50 works on botanical subjects. Among his chief works was the catalogue of Welwitsch’s African plants.

The African figwort genus Hiernia was named in his honor, as was the Ixora hiernii, the Pavetta hierniana and the Coffea canephora var hiernii.