His Majesty's Botanist is a member of the Royal household in Scotland. The office was created in 1699, and from 1768 until 1956 it was combined with the office of Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, who also held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at the University of Edinburgh. Since then the office of HM Botanist has been honorary, but conferred on a serving or retired Regius Keeper.
Office holders
1699: James Sutherland 1715: Dr William Arthur 1716: Charles Alston 1761: DR John Hope 1786: Daniel Rutherford 1820: Robert Graham 1845: John Hutton Balfour 1880: Alexander Dickson 1888: Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour 1922: Prof. Sir William Wright Smith (d 1956) 1966: Harold Roy Fletcher (d 1978) 1987: Prof. Douglas Mackay Henderson 2010: Prof Stephen Blackmore
See also Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
References
Sources Holders from 1703 to 1820 from "Exchequer Establishment List" c.1770 (E/229/10/1) in National Archives of Scotland Royal Botanic Garden: A Brief History
Further reading Charles Alston Isaac Bayley Balfour