Martyn Rix

Edward Martyn Rix FLS (born 15 August 1943) is a British botanist, collector, horticulturist and author. Following completion of a PhD on Fritillaria at Cambridge University, he worked in Zürich, Switzerland and at the Royal Horticultural Society gardens at Wisley. He is the author of many books and articles on plants and horticulture and is the editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine, based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London.

Born on 15 August 1943 to Edward Lionel Reusner and Elizabeth (Joyce) Rix, Martyn Rix was educated at Trinity College Dublin (MA), and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, where he received his PhD at biology school in 1971 for his dissertation on Fritillaria in Greece and Turkey (partially published as Rix 1974).^[1][2][3] He married Alison Jane Goatcher in 1983, with whom he frequently collaborates, and they have two daughters.^[4]

Following completion of his doctorate he worked as a fellow at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, studying water weeds of India and co-authoring Waterplants of the World (1971–1973), before becoming a botanist at the Royal Horticultural Society, Wisley (1974–1978).^[3] He travelled widely, collecting and photographing plants, including botanical expeditions to China, Mexico, South Africa and Argentina, and introducing a large number of plants into cultivation in Europe and North America. He has been involved in the design and planting of gardens in many parts of the world including California, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, Turkey, France and Italy.^[5] Together with plant photographer Roger Phillips, David Lindsay and Sam Phillips, he ran an internet site called RogersRoses.^[6]

Martyn Rix works at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS). His major interest is Liliaceae, especially Fritillaria.^[5][7][8]

Rix has authored contributions in many major botanical texts including The European Garden Flora, Flora Europaea, Flora of Turkey,^[3] the Kew Bulletin and has been editor of Curtis's Botanical Magazine since 2003.^[7][3] He is the author of a number of books including Art of the Plant World, Art in Nature and Redoute Album.^[5] The latter deals with the work of the botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté. he has also contributed to television programmes such as The Quest for the Rose (BBC). Together with Roger Phillips he has contributed to over thirty plant books.^[3] Martyn Rix writes for magazines such as Country Life, Gardens Illustrated, The English Garden Magazine and Cornucopia.^[3]

 see Encyclopedia 2017

In 1998 Rix was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Veitch Memorial Gold Medal.^[9]

Martyn Rix is the botanical authority^[8] for 33 taxa that bear his name, such as Fritillaria gussichiae.

The following plants are named after Martyn Rix:

• Bellevalia rixii Wendelbo^[10]
• Fritillaria rixii Zaharof^[11]

IPNI. List of plant names with authority Rix.

• Kent Alpine Gardener's Diary Talk given at Alpine Garden Society, Kent 2015