# Donald Pigott > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Donald_Pigott > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Donald_Pigott.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Pigott > Source revision: 1210108036 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British botanist (1928–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox scientist | name = Christopher Donald Pigott | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1928|4|7|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|9|11|1928|4|7|df=y}} | death_place = [Cartmel](/source/Cartmel), [Cumbria](/source/Cumbria), England | education = Cambridge University | workplaces = Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Cambridge University Botany School | fields = [Botany](/source/Botany), [Plant physiology](/source/Plant_physiology) | known_for = ''[Tilia](/source/Tilia)'' | author_abbrev_bot = Pigott | spouse = Sheila Megaw | awards = }} '''Christopher Donald Pigott''' (7 April 1928 – 11 September 2022) was a British [botanist](/source/botanist) who was the fourth [Director, Cambridge University Botanic Garden](/source/Director%2C_Cambridge_University_Botanic_Garden) (1984–1995), succeeding [Max Walters](/source/Max_Walters). == Life and career == Pigott was born on 7 April 1928.{{cite book |title=Pigott, Prof. Christopher Donald |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-30863 |publisher=Who's Who 2022 | doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U30863 | isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 |access-date=26 October 2022}}{{sfn|HUH|2015}} He was educated at [Emmanuel College, Cambridge](/source/Emmanuel_College%2C_Cambridge),{{cite news |last1=Whittaker |first1=John |title=Donald Pigott obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/25/donald-pigott-obituary |access-date=26 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=25 October 2022}} from 1946, where he was taught by two previous Directors, [Humphrey Gilbert-Carter](/source/Humphrey_Gilbert-Carter) (1921–1950) and [Max Walters](/source/Max_Walters) (1973–1983). Forming a friendship with the latter he was persuaded to spend the summer of 1949 in [Uppsala](/source/Uppsala_University) and [Helsinki](/source/University_of_Helsinki) universities where he was impressed by the mapping of the Scandinavian [flora](/source/flora) and returned to work with Walters on similar projects for the British Isles and used this method in his PhD thesis on [Thyme](/source/Thyme). Under Professor [Harry Godwin](/source/Harry_Godwin) he also worked on the design of the Botanic Garden's ecological mound. After leaving Cambridge he moved to [Sheffield University](/source/Sheffield_University) as Lecturer in Botany.{{sfn|NS|1957}} He returned to Cambridge in 1984 to become Director of the Garden. On leaving Cambridge in 1995 he was succeeded by [John Parker](/source/John_Parker_(botanist)) and was appointed to the chair in Biology at [Lancaster University](/source/Lancaster_University) and subsequently as [Emeritus professor](/source/Emeritus_professor). He married fellow Cambridge botanist Sheila Megaw with whom he collaborated. Pigott died in [Cartmel](/source/Cartmel), [Cumbria](/source/Cumbria) on 11 September 2022, at the age of 94.{{cite newspaper The Times |title=Pigott |department=Register |date=17 September 2022 |page=82 |issue=73891 |column=3}} == Work == During Pigott's tenure as Director, the [great storm of 1987](/source/great_storm_of_1987) caused considerable damage to the Garden. In 1990 the University carried out a review which suggested the research aspects of the garden were of decreasing relevance as plant sciences shifted in emphasis from whole plant botany to the cellular and molecular level. Pigott vigorously and successfully defended the Garden's scientific value. Pigott was known for his work on the [genus](/source/genus) ''[Tilia](/source/Tilia)'' (lime trees, [Malvaceae](/source/Malvaceae)), and was the [botanical authority](/source/botanical_authority) for several taxa in that genus, such as:{{sfn|Pigott|2012}} * ''Tilia amurensis'' subsp. ''taquetii'' (C.K. Schneid.) Pigott * ''[Tilia dasystyla](/source/Tilia_dasystyla)'' subsp. ''caucasica'' (V.Engl.) Pigott Pigott also carried out a number of [botanical expeditions](/source/botanical_expeditions) with his wife and with Anthony Hall.{{sfn|Pigott|2012}} ==Selected publications== {{see also| #Bibliography}} * {{cite book|last1=Pigott|first1=Donald|authorlink=Donald Pigott|title=Lime-trees and basswood: a biological monograph of the genus Tilia|date=2012|publisher=[Cambridge University Press](/source/Cambridge_University_Press)|location=Cambridge|isbn=9780521840545|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zdkM5L3O4vYC}} {{botanist|Pigott|C.D. Pigott}} == References == {{Reflist|20em|refs= {{harvnb|Lacey|2016|loc=[https://agardenthroughtime.wordpress.com/themes/donald-pigott/ Christopher Donald Pigott]}} {{harvnb|Tropicos|2015|loc=[http://www.tropicos.org/Person/39194?tab=names Pigott, C.D. ]}} }} == Bibliography == {{refbegin|30em}} * {{cite web|last1=Lacey|first1=Pippa|title=Changing Perspectives: a Garden through time|url=https://agardenthroughtime.wordpress.com/|publisher=[Cambridge University Botanic Garden](/source/Cambridge_University_Botanic_Garden)|access-date=16 December 2016|ref={{harvid|Lacey|2016}}}} ** {{cite web|title=Professor C.D. Pigott - List of publications|url=https://agardenthroughtime.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/donald-pigott-publications-pdf1.pdf|access-date=22 December 2016}}, in {{harvtxt|Lacey|2016}} * {{cite journal|title=Contributors|journal=[New Scientist](/source/New_Scientist)|date=21 February 1957|issue=14|page=43|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bFVbcLqPwlsC&pg=PA43|ref={{harvid|NS|1957}}}} * {{cite web|title=Pigott, Christopher Donald|url=http://kiki.huh.harvard.edu/databases/botanist_search.php?id=25673|website=Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries: Index of Botanists|access-date=22 December 2016|date=2015|ref={{harvid|HUH|2015}}}} * {{cite web|title=Tropicos|url=http://www.tropicos.org/Home.aspx|publisher=[Missouri Botanical Garden](/source/Missouri_Botanical_Garden)|access-date=30 December 2015|date=2015|ref={{harvid|Tropicos|2015}}}} * {{cite web|title=Pigott, Christopher Donald (1928-)|url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idAuthorSearch.do?id=38667-1|website=[International Plant Names Index](/source/International_Plant_Names_Index)|date=2005|access-date=7 April 2015|ref={{harvid|IPNI|2005}}}} {{refend}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Pigott, Donald}} Category:1928 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge Category:English botanists {{UK-botanist-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Donald Pigott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Pigott) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Pigott?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.