# Charles Torrey Simpson

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American botanist, malacologist, and conservationist

Charles Torrey Simpson Charles Torrey Simpson Born (1846-06-03)June 3, 1846 Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S. Died December 17, 1932(1932-12-17) (aged 86) Lemon City, Miami, Florida, U.S. Scientific career Fields Botanist Institutions Smithsonian Institution

**Charles Torrey Simpson** (June 3, 1846 – December 17, 1932) was an American [botanist](/source/Botanist), [malacologist](/source/Malacology), and [conservationist](/source/Conservation_movement). He retired to [Florida](/source/Florida) where he became known for conservation.

## Scientific work

His initial scientific interests included collecting shells, and he began as a [conchologist](/source/Conchology). Although he had little more than a high school education he became well regarded in the field and in 1889 was hired by the [Smithsonian Institution](/source/Smithsonian_Institution).[1] He went on to work at the [National Museum of Natural History](/source/National_Museum_of_Natural_History) from 1899 to 1902. He was interested mainly in freshwater bivalves and also in land snails of Florida.

## Life in Florida

In Florida Simpson gained the nickname "The Sage of [Biscayne Bay](/source/Biscayne_Bay)" and wrote several books about tropical plant life around Miami. His backyard contained a [tropical hardwood hammock](/source/Tropical_hardwood_hammock), which he estimated he showed to approximately 50,000 people. Though he tended to avoid controversy regarding development, in *Ornamental Gardening in Florida*, he wrote, "Mankind everywhere has an insane desire to waste and destroy the good and beautiful things this nature has lavished upon him".[2] In 1927 he received an honorary doctorate from the [University of Miami](/source/University_of_Miami). [Simpson Park Hammock](/source/Simpson_Park_Hammock) near [Downtown Miami](/source/Downtown_Miami) is named in his honor.

## Bibliography

(incomplete)

- 1916. [*Ornamental gardening in Florida*](https://archive.org/details/ornamentalgarden00simprich). (self published), [Little River, Florida](/source/Little_River%2C_Florida). 198 pp.

- 1920. [*In lower Florida wilds; a naturalist's observations on the life, physical geography, and geology of the more tropical part of the state*](https://archive.org/details/inlowerfloridawi00simpiala). G. P. Putnam's Sons, New York and London. 404 pp.

- 1923. *[Out of Doors in Florida](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Out_of_Doors_in_Florida&action=edit&redlink=1)*. E. B. Douglas, Miami. 412 pp.

- 1932. *[Florida Wild Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florida_Wild_Life&action=edit&redlink=1)*. Macmillan, New York. 199 pp.

Malacological works:

- 1887. "Contributions to the Mollusca of Florida". *Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences* **5**: 45-72.

- 1888. "Notes on some Indian Territory shells". *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **11**: 449-454.

- 1889. "Contributions to the Mollusca of Florida". *Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences* **5**: 63-72.

- 1891. "On the means of distribution of Unionidae in the Southeastern United States". *Nautilus* **5**(2): 15-17.

- 1891. "Notes on Unionidae". *Nautilus* **5**(8): 86-88.

- 1892. "On a revision of the American Unionidae". *Nautilus* **6**(7): 78-80.

- 1892. "Notes on the Unionidae of Florida and the southeastern states". *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **15**(911): 405-436 + 26 plates.

- 1893. "On the relationships and distribution of the North American Unionidae, with notes on the West Coast species". *[American Naturalist](/source/American_Naturalist)* **27**(316): 353-358.

- 1893. "A new *[Anodonta](/source/Anodonta)*". *Nautilus* **6**(12): 134-135.

- 1893. "*[Unio coruscus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unio_coruscus&action=edit&redlink=1)*, *[subluridus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unio_subluridus&action=edit&redlink=1)*, etc." *Nautilus* **6**(12): 143-144.

- 1893. "A review of [Von Ihering](/source/Von_Ihering)'s classification of the Unionidae and [Mutelidae](/source/Mutelidae)". *Nautilus* **7**(2):17-21.

- 1893. "A reply to professor Wheeler". *Nautilus* **7**(2): 22-23.

- 1893. "On some fossil unios and other fresh-water shells from the drift at Toronto, Canada: With a review of the distribution of the Unionidae of northeastern North America". *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **16**(952): 591-595.

- 1894. "Types of *[Anodonta dejecta](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Anodonta_dejecta&action=edit&redlink=1)* rediscovered". *Nautilus* **8**(5): 52.

- 1895. "On the validity of the genus *[Margaritana](/source/Margaritifera)*". *American Naturalist* **29**(340): 336-344.

- 1895. "Note on *[Unio oregonenses](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unio_oregonenses&action=edit&redlink=1)* Lea". *Nautilus* **8**(10): 116-118.

- 1895. "*[Unio ochraceus](/source/Unio_ochraceus)* and *[cariosus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unio_cariosus&action=edit&redlink=1)*". *Nautilus* **8**(11):121-123 [correction regarding the text figures in 8(12):143].

- 1895. "*[Pleurocera subulare](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pleurocera_subulare&action=edit&redlink=1)* in water-mains". *Nautilus* **9**(4): 37-38.

- 1896. "On the Mississippi Valley Unionidae found in the St. Lawrence and Atlantic drainage areas". *American Naturalist* **30**(353): 379-384.

- 1896. "The mussel scars of Unios". *Nautilus* **10**(3): 29-30.

- 1896. "Notes on the parvus group of Unionidae and its allies". *Nautilus* **10**(5): 57-59.

- 1896. "The classification and geographical distribution of the pearly fresh-water mussels". *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **18**(1068): 295-343 + 1 map.

- 1896. "Description of four new Triassic unios from the Staked Plains of Texas". *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **18**(1072): 381-385.

- 1897. "Notes on the classification of the Unios". *Nautilus* **11**(2): 18-23.

- 1899. "The pearly fresh-water mussels of the United States; their habits, enemies, and diseases, with suggestions for their protection". *Bulletin of the U.S. Fish Commission*. [Issued separately as U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Document 413]. **18**(1898): 279-288.

- 1900. "Unionidae of Indiana". (Review). *Nautilus* **14**(8): 95-96.

- 1900. "New and unfigured Unionidae". *Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia* **52**(1900): 74-86 + 5 plates.

- 1900. ["Synopsis of the naiades, or pearly fresh-water mussels"](https://archive.org/details/synopsisofnaiade00simp). *Proceedings of the United States National Museum* **22**(1205): 501-1044.

- 1900. "On the evidence of the Unionidae regarding the former courses of the Tennessee and other southern rivers". *Science* **12**(291): 133-136.

- [Simpson, C.T.]. 1901. "*[Alasmidonta marginata](/source/Alasmidonta_marginata)* Say". *Nautilus* **15**(2): [16-17](https://archive.org/stream/nautilus15amer#page/16/mode/2up/).

- 1901. "On the classification of the Unionidae". *Nautilus* **15**(7): [77](https://archive.org/stream/nautilus15amer#page/76/mode/2up)-82.

- 1902. "A new naiad from New Zealand". *Nautilus* **16**(3): [30](https://archive.org/stream/nautilus16amer#page/30/mode/2up). - Type description of *[Cucumerunio websteri](/source/Cucumerunio_websteri)*

- [Dall W. H.](/source/William_Healey_Dall) & Simpson C. T. 1902. ["The mollusca of Porto Rico"](http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k989487). *Bulletin of the U.S. Fish Commission*, Washington. 351-524.

- 1914. *A descriptive catalogue of the naiades, or pearly fresh-water mussels*. Parts I-III. [Bryant Walker](/source/Bryant_Walker), Detroit, Michigan xii + 1540 pp. - 1914. [Part I](https://archive.org/details/descriptivecatal01simp). Unionidae *[Truncilla](/source/Truncilla)* - *[Margaritana](/source/Margaritifera)* - 1914. [Part II](https://archive.org/details/descriptivecatal02simp). Unionidae, *[Unio](/source/Unio_(genus))* - *[Nodularia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nodularia_(bivalve)&action=edit&redlink=1)*. - 1914. [Part III](https://archive.org/details/descriptivecatal03simp). Unionidae, *[Harmandia](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harmandia_(bivalve)&action=edit&redlink=1)* - *[Diplodon](/source/Diplodon)*. MUtelidae.

The standard [author abbreviation](/source/List_of_botanists_by_author_abbreviation_(A)) Simpson is used to indicate this person as the author when [citing](/source/Author_citation_(botany)) a [botanical name](/source/Botanical_name).[3]

This checklist is based on Simpson's 1900s "Synopsis of the naiades...":

- [Wright B. H.](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Berlin_Hart_Wright&action=edit&redlink=1) & [Walker B.](/source/Bryant_Walker) 1902. [Check list of North American Naiades](https://archive.org/details/cu31924002824187). Detroit, Michigan.

## See also

- [Category:Taxa named by Charles Torrey Simpson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Taxa_named_by_Charles_Torrey_Simpson)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Biscayne Times](http://www.biscaynetimes.com/news/news_2006/news_0806_simpson.htm) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110726181925/http://www.biscaynetimes.com/news/news_2006/news_0806_simpson.htm) July 26, 2011, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** La Plante, Leah (1995), "The Sage of Biscayne Bay: Charles Torrey Simpson's Love Affair with South Florida", *Tequesta*, No. LV, p. 61–82.[\[1\]](https://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1995/95_1_03.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141226012248/https://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1995/95_1_03.pdf) December 26, 2014, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [International Plant Names Index](/source/International_Plant_Names_Index). [*Simpson*](https://www.ipni.org/search?q=author%20std%3ASimpson).

## Further reading

- [Johnson, R. I.](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_Irwin_Johnson&action=edit&redlink=1) (1975). "Simpson's unionid types and miscellaneous unionid types in the National Museum of Natural History". *Special Occasional Papers*, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University **4**: 1-56 + 3 plates.

- Rothra E. O. (1995). [*Florida's Pioneer Naturalist: The Life of Charles Torrey Simpson*](http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=ROTHRF95). University Press of Florida, xv + 232 pp. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8130-1374-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8130-1374-9), [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-8130-1374-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-8130-1374-7)

- Malone R. J. (October 1996) "Reviewed work(s): Florida's Pioneer Naturalist: The Life of Charles Torrey Simpson by Elizabeth Ogren Rothra". *Environmental History* **1**(4): [98](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3985295).

## External links

- [portrait](http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/~ksc/Malacologists/SimpsonC.T.html)

- [The photograph of the house called "The Sentinels", that Simpson built in Florida](https://archive.org/stream/ornamentalgarden00simprich#page/n31/mode/1up)

- [The MUSSELp Simpson-Haas Index](https://web.archive.org/web/20100205074117/http://bama.ua.edu/~musselp/proj/simp-haas.html)

- [Works by or about Charles Torrey Simpson](https://archive.org/search.php?query=%28%28subject%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20Torrey%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20T%2E%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22Simpson%2C%20C%2E%20T%2E%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22Charles%20Torrey%20Simpson%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22Charles%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20subject%3A%22C%2E%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Charles%20Torrey%20Simpson%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Charles%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22C%2E%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22C%2E%20Torrey%20Simpson%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20Torrey%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20T%2E%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Simpson%2C%20C%2E%20T%2E%22%20OR%20creator%3A%22Simpson%2C%20C%2E%20Torrey%22%20OR%20title%3A%22Charles%20Torrey%20Simpson%22%20OR%20title%3A%22Charles%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20title%3A%22C%2E%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Charles%20Torrey%20Simpson%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Charles%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20description%3A%22C%2E%20T%2E%20Simpson%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20Torrey%22%20OR%20description%3A%22Simpson%2C%20Charles%20T%2E%22%29%20OR%20%28%221846-1932%22%20AND%20Simpson%29%29%20AND%20%28-mediatype:software%29) at the [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Netherlands Academics International Plant Names Index Other IdRef Open Library SNAC Te Papa (New Zealand) Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Charles Torrey Simpson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Torrey_Simpson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Torrey_Simpson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.