Watts , Henry (1828 - 1889)

Died at Melbourne, 16th December, 1889.

He was a good microscopist. His botanical studies were chiefly devoted to algae, both fresh-water and marine, and while living for many years at Warrnambool he was a contributor of algae to Harvey, who figured Wrangelia wattsii, Harv., and Crouania wattsii, Harv., in his “Phycologia Australica "

Henry Watts lived for many years in Warrnambool in western Victoria where he earned his living at various trades including bookmaker, flower distiller for perfume manufacture, and preparer of microscope slides.

He was a keen naturalist, being particularly interested in marine and freshwater algae. Many of his collections were made in the Warrnambool district, with later collections from Ballarat and the Yarra Valley.

Specimens were sent to overseas experts for identification, including to William Harvey who named several new species in Watts's honour.

The National Herbarium of Victoria holds specimens collected by Watts from 1855.

Watts had a modest publications record, most papers being issued in the Victorian Naturalist. He was a keen member of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, serving as the first librarian and as a Vice-President.

He was the author of "On the Fresh-water Algae of Victoria " (Trans. Roy. Soc. Vict., 1861-4, 67) ; .also a paper "On Fossil Polyzoa" (ib.. 82); "A Trip to Mt. Macedon in Search of Fresh-water Algae" (Wing's S. S. Record, iii., 252); "On a Species of fresh-water Algae from Victoria" (Vict. Nat., i., 21); "Some Recent Additions to our Knowledge of Microscopic Natural History" (ib., iii., I33) (includes lists of fresh-water algae and Desmidieae ),

First librarian (1881-2), also a vice-president of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria. He is further commemorated by Acacia wattsiana. F. v. M.

Sources:
Maiden, J.H. (1908). Records of Victorian Botanists. Victorian Naturalist 25:101-117
https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P006882b.htm

Collecting localities for 'Watts, H.' (filtered by dates) from AVH (2025)

Data from 73 specimens