John Ray

John Ray (29 November 1627 – 17 January 1705) was an English Christian naturalist and one of the earliest English parson-naturalists. He published important works in the fields of botany, zoology, and natural theology. His classification of plants in his *Historia Plantarum* was an important step towards modern taxonomy. Ray rejected the system of dichotomous division and instead classified plants according to similarities and differences that emerged from observation. He was among the first to attempt a biological definition for the concept of *species*, as "a group of morphologically similar organisms arising from a common ancestor". Another significant contribution to taxonomy was his division of plants into those with two seedling leaves (dicotyledons) or only one (monocotyledons), a division used in taxonomy today. Born in Black Notley, Essex, Ray studied at the University of Cambridge. He resigned his fellowship in 1662 rather than swear to the Solemn League and Covenant. He travelled extensively in Britain and Europe, collecting specimens and conducting field observations, often in the company of his pupil Francis Willughby. Ray was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1667. His later life was spent in quiet study and writing at Black Notley, despite poor health. He is regarded as a significant figure in the development of natural history and taxonomy.