George Stephen West (20 April 1876 – 7 August 1919), ARCS, FLS, was a British botanist, a specialist in phycology and protistology, a botanical illustrator and a writer.

He left behind numerous scientific papers and other publications, of which his 1904 Treatise on the British Fresh-Water Algae and his 1916 Algae vol.i caught public attention, because they helped students to keep pace with contemporary new research, and its consequent fast-changing classification of species.

[4][5] In 1906, West married Minnie Bullock Pratt (born Seedley 1881), and the couple had two sons: Ralph W.H.

[10][9] All his drawings of algae were left to the British Museum, and his specimens and library were bequeathed to the University of Birmingham.

The Journal of Botany, British and Foreign commented: "The loss of his kindly encouragement and help to the eager band which he had gathered round him leaves a gap which will be difficult to fill".

[5] In 1909 at Birmingham he became professor,[6] and then in 1916 he was appointed to the Mason Professorship of Botany, a position previously held by William Hillhouse.

[2] "West was an excellent teacher and lecturer, much liked by his pupils, and extremely successful in training them in the habit of scientific research".

He left some unfinished works when he died: Algal Flora of the Midlands, and British Freshwater Algae (excluding Diatoms and Desinids).