Though Ohio has had fewer botanists than many other States, some of
these became known wherever botany was cultivated. Riddell was one of
the pioneer botanists of the west and for six years he was a resident
of this State. By the publication of his _Synopsis_ he contributed
largely to Ohio Botany. The names of Sullivant and Lesquereux shed
still greater luster on our state. Most of the work of the former and
all of that of the latter was done in Ohio. Several others whose names
are given below have been industrious students of our Flora, and have
spent many years if not all their lives within our territory. It is a
long and interesting list of botanical names which commemorates their
scientific labors. In the preparation of this paper I have been aided
materially by Prof. W. A. Kellerman.
JOHN LEONARD RIDDELL.--Born in Leyden, Mass., Feb. 20th, 1807;
died in New Orleans, La., Oct. 7, 1863. He graduated from Rensseler
Institute, Troy, N. Y. He came to Ohio in 1830 and became professor
of Botany and adjunct Professor of Chemistry in the Medical College
of Cincinnati. He was an enthusiastic and industrious botanist, and
collected extensively in many parts of our State. Scarcely any of his
specimens seem now to be in existence though he prepared sets for sale
and accumulated a large herbarium. His most important publication was
the Synopsis of the Flora of the Western States. He also published a
Supplementary Catalogue of Ohio Plants. In 1836 he left Ohio, carrying
his botanical specimens to New Orleans where he became professor in
a Medical College; he was also in the employ of the government until
his death. He furnished many notes and longer articles to scientific
journals and was the author of many new species of plants. The
following have been named in his honor:
Riddellia, synonym of Psilostrophe, a genus of the Compositae
family.
Solidago Riddellii, a species of Golden Rod.
Senecio Riddellii, synonym of S. Douglasii, a species of
Compositae.
WILLIAM STARLING SULLIVANT.--Born in Franklinton, Ohio, Jan.
18, 1803, died in Columbus, Ohio, April 30, 1873. He was educated
at Ohio University and Yale. The death of his father at the time of
his graduation prevented him from studying for one of the learned
professions and he became a surveyor and practical engineer, which
occupation he followed until late in life. During this time he
collected and studied the plants of central Ohio, and in 1840 he
began to pay particular attention to Mosses; this became the subject
of his special study, and he was soon recognized as the most eminent
bryologist that this country has ever produced.
In 1864 the degree of LL.D. was conferred on Sullivant by Gambier
College. He was elected to membership in many scientific societies both
in the United States and Europe. At his death his bryological books,
collections and preparations of Mosses were given to the Gray Herbarium
of Harvard University. The remainder of his botanical library was
bequeathed to the Ohio State University then called the Agricultural
and Mechanical College. His microscopes were given to Starling Medical
College. Of this institution he was senior trustee. He was the author
of many new species and the plants named for him by other botanists are
as follows:
Sullivantia, a genus of the Saxifrages. The name first proposed
by Gray (1840) for the species discovered by Sullivant was
Saxifraga Sullivantii; two years later Gray established the
genus Sullivantia and published the name of the plant in
question as Sullivantia Ohionis. According to the rules of
priority that name now stands as Sullivantia Sullivantii.
Discina Sullivantii, a species of discomycetous fungi.
Panus Sullivantii, a species of Agaricineae.
Lentinus Sullivantii, a species of Agaricineae.
Marasmius Sullivantii, a species of Agaricineae.
Psilocybe Sullivantii, a species of Agaricineae.
Boletus Sullivantii, a species of the Polyporeae.
Polystictus Sullivantii, a species of the Polyporeae.
Thelephora Sullivantii, a species of the Thelephoreae.
Cephalozia Sullivantii, a species of Liverwort.
Jubula Sullivantii, a species of Liverwort.
Kantia Sullivantii, a species of Liverwort.
Porella Sullivantii, a species of Liverwort.
Hypnum Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Astomum Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Amphoridium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Brachythecium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Bruchia Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Cylindrothecium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Fontinalis Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Macromitrium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Neckera Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Phascum Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Pleuridium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Schlotheimia Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Eurhynchium Sullivantii, a species of Moss.
Hookeria Sullivantii, a species of Moss. Zygodon Sullivantii, a
species of Moss.
Sphagnum Sullivantianum, a species of Moss.
Asclepias Sullivantii, a species of Milkweed.
Lonicera Sullivantii, a species of Honeysuckle.
Carex Sullivantii, a species of Sedge.
Callipteridium Sullivantii, a fossil plant.
There were also two species of Mosses named for Mrs. Sullivant as
follows:
Hypnum Sullivantiae, a pleurocarpous Moss.
Plagiothecium Sullivantiae, a pleurocarpous Moss.
LEO LESQUEREUX.--Born in Fleurier, Switzerland, Nov. 18,
1806, died in Columbus, Ohio, Oct. 25, 1889. On entering the Academy
of Neuchatel he met Arnold Guyot and together they became devoted to
natural science. In 1822 he went to Eisenach preparatory to entering
the University of Berlin, supporting himself by teaching French. He
was principal of a college at Chaux de Fonds but had to give this up
on account of deafness. From this time he did engraving, made watch
springs, and studied Mosses and fossil plants.
In 1848 Lesquereux came to America settling at Cambridge, where he
assisted Louis Agassiz; but he soon removed to Columbus, Ohio, where
he lived until his death. He was a worthy associate of William S.
Sullivant to whom in fact he was indebted by the most commendable
generosity. He was a paleo-botanist and a student of Mosses. Many
plants are named for him including a large number of fossil forms.
Lesquerella, a genus of Cruciferae.
Lesquereuxia, synonym of Siphonostegia, a genus of
Scrophulariaceae.
Hysterographium Lesquereuxii, a species of Pyrenomycetous Fungi.
Webera Lescuriana, a species of Moss.
Bryum Lescurianum, a species of Moss.
Archidium Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Atrichum Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Fontinalis Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Hypnum Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Orthotrichum Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Sphagnum Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Thelia Lescurii, a species of Moss.
Alyssum Lescurii, a species of the Mustard Family.
Lepidophoroxs Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Lepidodendrum Lesquereuxii, synonym of L. clypeatum, a fossil
plant.
Sphenopteris Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Sphaerites Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Persoonia Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Buthotrephis Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Pecopteris Lesquereuxii, a fossil plant.
Cardiocarpon Lescurianum, a fossil plant.
Triphyllopteris Lescuri, a fossil plant.
Odontopteris Lescurii, a fossil plant.
Sigillaria Lescurii, a fossil plant.
Sphenopteris Lescuriana, a fossil plant.
Taeniopteris Lescuriana, a fossil plant.
Triphyllopteris Lescuriana, a fossil plant.
Rhabdocarpus Lescurianus, a fossil plant.
Thinfeldia Lesquereuxiana, a fossil plant.
Laurinoxylon Lesquereuxiana, a fossil plant.
JOHN STRONG NEWBERRY.--Born at Windsor, Conn., Dec. 22, 1822,
died in New York, Dec. 7, 1892. He graduated from Western Reserve
College 1846 and from Cleveland Medical College 1848. He studied abroad
for two years and then practiced medicine in Cleveland until 1855
when he was appointed acting Surgeon and Geologist to an exploring
expedition through the country between San Francisco and the Columbia
River. He went on several of these expeditions studying the botanical,
zoological, and geological features of the country. In 1869 he was
appointed Chief Geologist to the Geological Survey of Ohio.
In 1859 Newberry published the first State Catalogue of Ohio Plants.
About 1865 he was made professor of Geology and palaeontology at
Columbia College School of Mines which position he held until his
death. His chief botanical work was in palaeo-botany though quite a
number of living plants as well as many fossil species commemorate his
name.
Newberrya, a genus of the Indian Pipe Family.
Gentiana Newberryi, a species of Gentian.
Abutilon Newberryi, a species of Malvaceae.
Leptosyne Newberryi, a species of Compositae.
Pentstemon Newberryi, synonym of P. menziesii, a species of
Scrophulariaceae.
Potentilla Newberryi, synonym of Ivesia gracillis, a species of
Rosaceae.
Ferula Newberryi, synonym of Peucedanum Newberryi, a species
Umbellifereae.
Astagolyous (Oxytropis) Newberryi, a species of the Leguminous
Family.
Notholaena Newberryi, a species of Fern.
Physaria Newberryi, a species of Fern. Coloptera Newberryi, a
species of Fern.
Leucampyx Newberryi, a species of Fern.
Cardiocarpon Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Dadoxylon Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Odontopteris Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Cordaites Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Pseudopecopteris Newberryi, a fossil plant, synonym of
Sphenopteris Newberryi.
Dictyophylon Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Cardiocarpus Newberryi, a fossil plant.
Archaeopholon Newberryanum, a fossil plant.
Viburnum Newberryanum, a fossil plant.
Celastrophyllum Newberryanum, a fossil plant.
Pecopteris Newberryana, a fossil plant.
Taeniopteris Newberryana, a fossil plant.
Platanus Newberryana, a fossil plant.
Laurus Newberryana, a fossil plant.
Myrica Newberryana, a fossil plant.
Salix Newberryana, a fossil plant.
H. C. BEARDSLEE.--Born in Connecticut. Died December, 1884, in
Painesville, O. He came to Ohio and became a practicing physician at
Painesville. He published the second State Catalogue of Ohio Plants in
1874. This was a pamphlet of nineteen pages; it was reprinted in the
State Agricultural reports of 1877. After his death Dr. Beardslee’s
herbarium of about 4000 species, especially rich in Carices, Grasses,
and Salices, was given to Oberlin College. The following species was
named in his honor:
Chantransia violacea Beardslei, a species of fresh-water Alga.
ANDREW PRICE MORGAN.--Born at Centerville near Dayton, Oct.
27, 1836, now living in Hamilton County. He has done much toward the
development of Mycology in this country. He has made known a large
number of higher fungi of the south-eastern part of Ohio. He is the
author of many new species. A number of plants belonging to the group
of Fungi have been named in his honor, as follows:
Boletus Morgani, a species of Polyporeae.
Polyporus Morgani, a species of Polyporeae.
Lepiota Morgani, a species of Leucosporeae.
Russela Morgani, a species of Leucosporeae.
Cantharellus Morgani, a species of Leucosporeae.
Hypoxylon Morgani, a species of Pyrenomycetaceae.
There is also one species of Agaricineae named for Mrs. Morgan:
Hygrophorus Laurae, a species of Fungus.
WILLIAM ASHBROOK KELLERMAN.--Born at Ashville, Ohio May 1,
1850. He was educated at Cornell and the German Universities, receiving
the degree of Ph.D. in 1881.
For a time he was teacher of natural science in the Wisconsin State
Normal School, later was professor of Botany and Zoology at the
Kansas Agricultural College, State Botanist of Kansas, and Botanist
of the Kansas Experiment Station. He was the founder and editor (for
four years) of the Journal of Mycology. He has held the position of
Professor of Botany in the Ohio State University since 1890 and is the
author of a number of text-books and articles for botanical journals.
He has accumulated a very large and valuable private Herbarium of
parasitic fungi, and a State Herbarium of the Flora of Ohio for the
Ohio State University that already numbers many thousands of mounted
sheets. The names given by botanists complimentary to his work are as
follows:
Kellermannia, a genus of Sphaeropsideous fungi.
Aecidium Kellermannii, a species of Uredineae.
Plasmopora Kellermannii, a species of Phycomycetous Fungi.
Rosellinia Kellermannii, a species of Sphaeriaceous Fungi.
Rhabdospora Kellermannii, a species of Sphaeropsideous Fungi.
Diaporthe Kellermanniana, a species of Pyrenomycetous Fungi.
Physcomitrium Kellermani, a species of acrocarpous Moss.
MISS H. F. BIDDLECOME.--Of Columbus, formerly of Springfield,
assiduously collected and studied the flora of Greene and Champaign
counties, Ohio. She discovered a species of Moss and one of Liverwort
which have been named in her honor.
Bryum Biddlecomiae, a pleurocarpous Moss.
Trichocolea Biddlecomiae, a species of Hepaticae, or Liverwort.
F. D. KELSEY.--Born at New Washington, Ind., Feb. 15, 1849,
but early moved to southern Ohio where he lived until 1856, when he
moved to Columbus. He was graduated from Marietta College in 1870. The
next year he went to Andover Theological Seminary where he graduated
in 1874. He served Congregational Churches until 1885 when he moved to
Helena, Montana. Here he made collections and distributed the local
flora. The College of Montana conferred on him the degree of Sc. D.
In 1892 he was elected Professor of Botany at Oberlin College, which
position he held until 1897, when he accepted the pastorate of the
Central Congregational Church in Toledo, which he now holds. He is
also lecturer on Botany at the Smead School for Girls at Toledo, Ohio.
While professor at Oberlin he published several bulletins of local
interest, and one monograph of Uncinula, with microscopic drawings of
all American species. There are several species named in his honor, as
follows:
Kelseya, a monotypic genus of Rosaceae.
Cucurbitaria Kelseyi, a species of Pyrenomycetous fungi.
Homostegia Kelseyi, a species of Pyrenomycetous fungi.
Cryptanthe Kelseyi, a species of Boraginaceae.
Phlox Kelseyi, a species of Polemoniaceae.