James Bowie

British botanist (1789-1869).

James Bowie (c. 1789–1869) was an English botanist. Bowie was born in London, and entered the service of the Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1810. In 1814 he was appointed botanical collector to the gardens, with Allan Cunningham. They went to Brazil for two years, making collections of plants and seeds. In 1817 Bowie was sent to the Cape; here he made journeys into the interior, and gathered collections of living and dried plants, while making drawings for the Kew Herbarium; the dried specimens went mostly to the British Museum. A vote of the House of Commons having reduced the sum granted for botanic