Charles Lewis Anderson

Charles Lewis Anderson (1827–1910) was an American medical doctor who, in addition to the practice of medicine, made important contributions to fields of natural history, especially botany. Educated in Indiana, he spent most of his professional life in the upper Midwest and West (Hennepin Co., Minnesota; Carson City, NV; and Santa Cruz, CA). Many plants collected by him were subsequently named in his honor. He wrote about local natural history, and actively engaged in public service in places where he resided.

Biographical He was born in Roanoke County, Virginia September 27, 1827. He then spent 10 years engaged in medical practice in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The St. Anthony and Minneapolis Union Medical Society was organized in 1855 with Dr. C. L. Anderson as vice-president. but the governor was reluctant to do so at that time.

He helped build a public school and served as the first school superintendent of Hennepin County.

In March 1862, Anderson left Minnesota. As related by Shutter

His wife and daughters, braving the rigors of a wagon train journey, joined him in August 1863.

Public service included being superintendent of schools in Ormsby Co., and surgeon-general under Nevada's governor. Subsequently, he oversaw the funding of a Carnegie library building. He was a "United States Examining surgeon for pensions", and served as "president of the City Board of Health"; he was also active in the Sons of Temperance, Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, and Freemasonry.

Logging of coast redwoods was well underway in the later 1800s along the central and northern California coast. In his 1879 booklet 34 of the plants collected in Nevada became type specimens (as did at least one, collected later, when he lived in Santa Cruz, CA; namely, Arctostaphylos andersonii A.Gray).

Many binomial scientific names honor an Anderson; the ones below honor Charles Lewis Anderson, and are currently (2020) accepted (see references and ITIS ). Each name is followed by the (plant family name), a common name, and the region where Anderson collected the type specimen.

Photographs of each flowering plant may be found at CalPhotos, and further information is available at CalFlora.

Arctostaphylos andersonii A.Gray (Ericaceae), Santa Cruz manzanita, near Santa Cruz, CA Astragalus andersonii A.Gray (Fabaceae), Anderson's milkvetch, near Carson City, NV Cirsium andersonii (A. Gray) Petr (Asteraceae), Anderson's thistle, Sierra Nevada [Original name: Cnicus andersonii (A. Gray) ] Delphinium andersonii A.Gray (Ranunculaceae), Anderson's larkspur, eastern Sierra Nevada Lupinus andersonii S.Watson (Fabaceae), Anderson's lupine, near Carson City, NV Lycium andersonii A.Gray (Solanaceae), Anderson thornbush, S.E. NV Oreostemma alpigenum var. andersonii (A. Gray) G.L. Nesom (Asteraceae), Anderson's aster, near Carson City, NV (Original name: Aster andersonii (A.Gray) A.Gray Prunus andersonii A.Gray (Rosaceae), desert peach, eastern Sierra Nevada Ranunculus andersonii A.Gray (Ranunculaceae), Anderson's buttercup, eastern Sierra Nevada Trifolium andersonii A.Gray (Fabaceae), Anderson's clover, near Carson City, NV

Marine algae After settling in Santa Cruz, Anderson collected many specimens of marine algae. He sent them to W. G. Farlow, a prominent phycologist, who wrote of "the many interesting species discovered by Dr. Anderson", and named some in Anderson's honor. With W. G. Farlow and Daniel Cady Eaton he issued the exsiccata series Algae exsiccatae Americae Borealis (1877-1889).

The following is currently (2020) an accepted name:

Haplogloia andersonii (Farlow) Levring (Chordariaceae), hairy brown seaweed, Santa Cruz, CA

Publications Anderson, C. L. 1861. Report on Geology and Plan for a Geological Survey of the State of Minnesota. State of Minnesota. Retrieved from the University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy, http://hdl.handle.net/11299/59459 Anderson, C. L. 1871. A Catalog of Nevada Flora. Third Biennial Report of the State Mineralogist. p. 116-128. Anderson, C. L. 1879. Santa Cruz for Homes: The Climate, Botany, Geology and Health of Santa Cruz and Vicinity. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044106424104&view=1up&seq=13 Anderson, C. L.(Ed). 1890. Catalog of Flowering Plants and Ferns of Santa Cruz County, California. Santa Cruz Surf Print. Anderson, C. L. 1892. Chapter VI: