Forbes was born in 1798, and became a pupil of John Shepherd of the
Liverpool botanic garden. The
Horticultural Society despatched him to the east coast of Africa, and he left London in February 1822, in the expedition commanded by Captain
William Fitzwilliam Owen. He sent home substantial collections from
Madeira,
Rio de Janeiro, the
Cape of Good Hope, and
Madagascar, before setting out to march up the
Zambesi River to the Portuguese station at
Zumbo, 300 leagues from the mouth of the river, and then southwards to the Cape. Less than halfway into the trip, he died of fatigue and privation at
Sena in August 1823. The genus Forbesia, Eckl., commemorates him as collector. ==References==