Anna Maria Walker

Anna Maria Walker
Born1778 (1778)
Kinaldy, Fife, Scotland
Died1852 (aged 73–74)
Mangalore, India
Resting placeSt Paul's Church graveyard, Mangalore
NationalityBritish
Known forbotanist, plant collector, botanical artist
SpouseGeorge Warren Walker
Childrenseven
Parent(s)Colonel Robert Patton and Constantia Adriana Sally Mapletoft
Watercolour by Anna Maria Walker of Acanthephippium bicolor

Anna Maria Walker (née Patton) (c. 1778–1852) and her husband Colonel George Warren Walker (1778–1843) were Scottish botanists in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) who made extensive collections of plants between 1830 and 1838. Several species of ferns and orchids were named after them by Sir William Jackson Hooker with whom they corresponded. They also corresponded with and collaborated with other botanists in the region such as Robert Wight. Anna Maria was also an excellent botanical artist who illustrated many species of orchids.[1] Plant species named after them include Vanilla walkeriae, Liparis walkeriae and Thrixspermum walkeri.[2][3]

  1. ^ Noltie, H.J. (2013). The Botanical Collections of Colonel and Mrs Walker: Ceylon, 1830 – 1838. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.
  2. ^ Fernandi SS & Paul Ormerod (2008). "An annotated checklist of the orchids of Sri Lanka" (PDF). Rheedea. 18 (1): 1–28.
  3. ^ Lewis, J.P. (1913). "Pioneers of Natural History in Ceylon". Spolia Zeylanica. 8: 294–295.