British surgeon and naturalist (1780–1826).
Clarke Abel (5 September 1780 – 24 November 1826) was a British surgeon and naturalist. The standard author abbreviation C. Abel is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name. He accompanied Lord Amherst on his mission to China in 1816-17 as the embassy's chief medical officer and naturalist, on the recommendation of Sir Joseph Banks. En route, Abel landed twice in the Cape, where he devoted a chapter to the region's geology, and became notes a pioneer in South African Geology.This mission to China was Britain's second unsuccessful attempt to establish diplomatic r