George Caley (10 June 1770 – 23 May 1829) was an English botanist and explorer, active in Australia for the majority of his career.

Early life

Caley was born on 10 June 1770 in Yorkshire. His father was a horse dealer.thumb|right|240px|[[Caleana major|Caleana, the Flying Duck Orchid, named after George Caley]]

Botanical name

This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation <span class="vcard"><span class="fn n"><span class="nickname">Caley</span></span></span> when citing a botanical name. He is recognised in several place names, including a Reserve name and bushland pavilion name at Ku-ring-gai Wildflower Garden in St Ives, and in the orchid genus Caleana and the species Grevillea caleyi, Viola caleyana, Banksia caleyi, and Eucalyptus caleyi. A George Caley Society was formed in Saint Ives (New South Wales) in 2019.

See also

  • List of Blue Mountains articles
  • List of gardener-botanist explorers of the Enlightenment

References

Bibliography

  • Webb, J. B., (2003), ‘George Caley – Robert Brown’s collecting partner’, Australian Garden History, 15 (1), pp.&nbsp;15–16.

Additional sources listed by the Australian Dictionary of Biography:

:Historical Records of New South Wales, vols 3-6; J. Cash, Where There's a Will there's a Way, or Science in the Cottage (London, 1873); J. H. Maiden, Sir Joseph Banks (Sydney, 1909); J. H. Maiden, ‘George Caley, Botanical Collector in NSW’, Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, 14 (1904); R. Else-Mitchell, ‘George Caley: His Life and Work’, Journal and Proceedings (Royal Australian Historical Society), vol 25, part 6, 1939, pp 437–542; L. A. Gilbert, Botanical Investigation of Eastern Seaboard Australia, 1788-1810 (M.A. thesis, University of New England, 1962); manuscript catalogue under G. Caley (State Library of New South Wales); G. Caley letters (State Library of New South Wales)

  • Account of Caley's attempt to cross the Blue Mountains