Falconer, Hugh (1808–1865)

Scottish botanist and palaeontologist who studied the vertebrae of the fossilized remains of elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, and crocodiles. He arranged the British Museum's collection of Indian fossils and made many expeditions into the mountains of India to collect botanical specimens. He also was responsible for commencing the cultivation of Indian tea.

Falconer was born in Forres, Scotland and attended Aberdeen University and then Edinburgh University, where he obtained an MD. In 1830, he travelled to India as a surgeon for the East India Company, and became the superintendent of the botanical gardens at Saharan pur, near the Himalayas 1832. He returned to England between 1842 and 1848, and during his stay, arranged the British Museum's collection of Indian fossils. He was made the superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Gardens 1848, as well as the professor of botany at Calcutta Medical College. In 1855, he was forced to retire to England due to ill health, and died in London.