(Source: Flora Malesiana ser. 1, 1: Cyclopaedia of collectors)

Born: 1920, Neillsville, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

career:

Studied pre-medicine at Mission House College, Plymouth, Wisconsin, and served as a laboratory assistant in biology as a junior, 1938-41; entered the University of Wisconsin Medical School, 1941, and terminated studies in that school to join the U.S. Navy in August, 1942, and became a flying officer, having duty in the Atlantic Fleet and in the Pacific Fleet, 1943-1946; became an Education Officer travelling to all Pacific outposts in an effort to interest men with abilities and training to become collectors for scientific advancement, 1946. In September 1946 re-entered the University of Wisconsin in the School of Zoology to complete requirements for a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in May, 1947; accepted as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Botany, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1947.

Collecting localities:

Botanical collections were made in the Philippines, Bismarck Archipelago, Solomons, New Guinea, Marianas, Ryukyus, Marshall and Hawaiian Islands, during 1944-46, jointly with W.H. Wagner Jr (see there), while flying in the Pacific area. In the Malaysian area: Admiralty Islands: Los Negros (Nov. 16-19, 1944); Philippines: Samar, Guiuan (March 16-18, 1945); Admiralties: Los Negros, and eastern Manus Isl. (March 20 and May 11); Expedition to the Admiralty Islands (Nov. 6-29, 1945): Los Negros (Nov. 6-29); Manus; Lorengau (Nov. 8, 9, 11, 12, 18, 20), Drangot River (Nov. 14), Patusi (Nov. 24), Watani River (Nov. 25); Lou Island (Nov. 13, 16); and Tawi Island (Nov. 24); Mount Tjajiak (Mt Dremsel Area, Manus, Nov. 25); Schouten Isls: Biak (Dec. 2, 3); Philippines: Samar, Calicoan and Guiuan (Dec. 5). In July 1946 he made a 1-week trip to the Island of Manus, Admiralties, where he took a native safari into the interior in company with a native police boy, Rohas: Tingau River (July 10); Sabon, Bulihat, Warrabi, Lundret and Bowat (July 10); Drano, Tingau I, Tingau II, Kwaliap, Buyang II, Buyang I, and Pundrau (July 11); Waimdra, Badlock, Mundrau, Sau and Inrim (July 12); Los Negros (July 13).

collections:

Number series, 3200-4639, including collections of W.H. Wagner Jr (see there). First series deposited at Herb. Berkeley (Cal.) [US]. Main collections are pteridophytes,¹ often in multiplicate, distributed as follows: U.S. Nat. Herb. Wash. [US]; Natural History Museum [BM], Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Manila, P.I.; Herb. E.B. Copeland; Bern. P. Bish. Mus., Honolulu [BISH]; Herb. Sydney [NSW]; Paris [P]; State Mus. Stockholm [S]; Univ. of Pennsylvania Herb. [PENN]; Univ. of Wisconsin Herb. [UWM]; Herb. Kew [K].

literature:

(1) W.H. Wagner Jr and D.F. Grether: ‘Pteridophytes of the Admiralty Islands’ (in the press, University of California Publications in Botany).

W.H. Wagner Jr and D.F. Grether: ‘Pteridophytes from Guam’ (Bernice P. Bishop Mus. Occas. Pap. 19, 1948, no 2, p. 25-99). cf. also sub W.H. Wagner Jr

photo gallery: