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The Late Professor E.J.H. Corner

Edred John Henry Corner (12 Jan 1906 - 14 Sep 1996)
- distinguished botanist and mycologist, and founder- member of the Malayan Nature Society

Came to Singapore in 1929 and served as Assistant Director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens, under Professor R. E. Holttum till 1946.

In 1940, Corner published his first book, Wayside Trees of Malaya (in 2 volumes). His other books and scientific papers include:

A Monograph of Clavaria (1950)
The Life of Plants (1964)
The Natural History of Palms (1966)
Boletus of Malaysia (1972)
Seeds of Dicotyledons (2 volumes, 1976)

The Freshwater Swamp Forests of South Johore and Singapore (1978)
Ad Polyporaceas (7 volumes, 1983-1991)
Botanical Monkeys (1992)

He was also noted for advancing his Durian Theory - which was then considered a first and the only theory of flowering plant evolution that took into account the diversity of tropical plants. His work on figs of Asia and Australasia was extensive and greatly admired.

The prestigious awards he received in recognition for his contribution to tropical botany are:
Darwin Medal of the Royal Society (1960)
Patron's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society (1966)
Linnaean Gold Medal (1970)
Victoria Medal of Honour, Royal Horticultural Society (1974)
Allerton Medal of the Pacific Tropical Gardens, Hawaii (1981)
First International Prize for Biology (1985)

He retired in 1973 from Cambridge University as Professor of Tropical Botany. The colonial bungalow in the Singapore Botanic Gardens where he lived as Assistant Director has been named E.J.H. Corner House. A number of tropical plants have been named in his honour too - such as Calamus corneri (rattan), Plectocomiopsis corneri (rattan), Licuala corneri (palm), Freycinetia corneri (climbing pandan), Anisophyllea corneri (tree), etc.