Born in Scampston, East Riding of Yorkshire, George Edward Massee was an English mycologist, plant pathologist, and botanist who lived from 20 December 1845 to 16 February 1917. He became interested in natural history at a young age and went on a botanical trip, gathering orchids and other plants, to Panama and Ecuador. Massee became particularly interested in mushrooms after moving back to Yorkshire, illustrated them, and started a number of ambitious publications on fungus in London. He succeeded M.C. Cooke as the Principal Assistant in Cryptogams at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1893. Massee received the Victoria Medal of Honour in 1902 and contributed to the founding of the British Mycological Society in 1896. Over 250 books, papers, and articles on fungi, myxomycetes, plant pathology, and natural history were written by him. As a result of the lack of type specimens, many of the new fungal species that Massee described have been consigned to lists of nomina dubia. Additionally, Beatrix Potter was influenced by him and described him as "a very pleasant kind gentleman."
