Clifton, George (1823 - 1913)

He collected Algae with and for Prof. Harvey during the visit to Western Australia in 1854.

“A species of Dasya which I shall call cliftoni after my kind friend Mr. Clifton, Supt. of Water Police, Fremantle, whose boat I use and who takes much interest in my work.” (Memoirs of Dr. Harvey, p. 271).

Harvey 's Phycologia Australica (1858), Vol. I, is dedicated in the following words:-

"To GEORGE CLIFTON, ESQ., R.N., of Fremantle, Western Australia, an acute observer and successful collector of Algae, the first volume of the “Phycologia Australica" is inscribed, in pleasant memory of our boating and dredging excursions, and as a grateful acknowledgment for liberal supplies of well-selected specimens, by his friend and fellow-student, THE AUTHOR."

In the preface to Vol. 5 the following passage occurs :-

"To George Clifton, Esq., R.N., of Fremantle, Western Australia, whose name occurs so frequently throughout the volume and in the synopsis, I am indebted for some thousands of beautifully preserved specimens, including many species collected by no one else His contributions commenced in 1854. whilst I was resident in Western Australia, and have been regularly continued. at short intervals up to the present time (Sept., .1863). Three new genera, Cliftonaea, Bindera, and Encyothalia, besides many new species, prove the zeal and succcess with which Mr. Clifton has conducted his researches."

Harvey named the following genus and species after him, and more Australian Algae are called after Mr. Clifton than any other man:-
Dasya cliftoni, Harv.;
PoIyphisa cliftoni, Harv.;
Chylocladi cliftoni, Harv.;
Encyothalia cIiftoni, Harv.;
Cliftonia (later altered to Cliftonaea! see PI, CCI,XXIX) pectinata, Harv.;
Halymenia (?) cIiftoni, Harv.;
Galaxaura cliftoni, Harv.

Source: Maiden, J.H. (1909) Records of Western Australian Botanists. Journal of the West Australian Natural History Society. 2(6):5-33