Residence United States Name Charles Frost | Fields Botany, Mycology | |
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Born November 1, 1805
Brattleboro, Vermont ( 1805-11-01 ) Died March 16, 1880, Brattleboro, Vermont, United States | ||
Charles Christopher Frost (November 11, 1805 – March 16, 1880) was an American botanist. He described several species of fungi from the New England area of the United States. In one paper, Frost described 22 new species of boletes, and he was later credited with the discovery of three additional species. His personal herbarium of specimens were given to the University of Vermont in 1902. Portions of his collection today are distributed between the Farlow Herbarium at Harvard University, the New York State Museum, the Bell Museum of Natural History, and the Buffalo Museum of Science.
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Early life
Frost was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, on November 11, 1805. His parents were shoemaker James Frost and Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of an officer in the American Revolution. When he was fifteen, Frost left school after being hit with a ruler by a teacher, and assisted his father with his business. Although Frost had developed a prior interest in the natural sciences, his interest in botany grew after meeting with physician Willard Parker, who recommended Frost undertake botanical walks to alleviate the symptoms of his dyspepsia. Frost started studying the mosses and lichens he encountered on these walks. He later investigated fungi, particularly the bolete mushrooms.