The Botanical Society of America MERIT AWARD is
the highest honor the Society bestows. The award was instigated
at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Botanical Society in
1956. That year fifty awards were given to honor contributions
to the botanical sciences spanning the previous half century.
Below we honor BSA Merit Award recipients and thank them for their
contributions to the richness of botanical history.
The selection of awardees is driven by nominations
from the membership. Nominations should include: (1) a formal
letter of nomination including a clear statement of (a) the notable
accomplishments of the candidate; (b) disciplines that have been
significantly influenced by the contributions of the candidate;
(c) letters of support and evaluation regarding the nominee's
candidacy, with complete contact information (postal address,
phone and e-mail address); and (2) the curriculum vita of the
candidate being considered.
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Dr. Thomas Rost - 2008
Dr. Thomas L. Rost is one of the world’s foremost researchers
on root development. His research record spans four decades
and includes more than 140 published papers in highly regarded
journals, with 82 on root structure and development, plus
10 co-authored and co-edited books. These studies have laid
down the foundations for understanding of root apical growth,
especially involving cell cycle control and meristem function,
lateral root production, root differentiation, epidermis and
rootcap development, and root meristem structure in an evolutionary
context. Tom’s papers have corrected the misconceptions
about Arabidopsis that have dominated the previous
15 years of research on that model plant for developmental
and molecular studies. He has led his students and post-doctoral
researchers to a modern and accurate understanding of the
development of this model root system. Specifically, he and
his colleagues have shown that the architecture of the root
apical meristem changes as the meristem ages. Also of particular
importance, he has shown that the pattern of root apical meristem
ontogeny is associated with periclinal divisions and gives
rise to a three-dimensional arrangement of periclinal derivatives
arranged in a helix.
Further, Tom has gone beyond Arabidopsis to put it in
the context of root organization in angiosperms, especially dicotyledons,
as a whole. Tom’s research on root apical meristems of a
broad range of species (Azolla, pea, maize, cotton) have
provided an important framework for understanding the streamlined
structure of Arabidopsis roots. He has enabled his group
to make unique contributions to understanding the structure and
development of this genetic model organism. Tom Rost has done
more than any other current structural botanist to bring the plant
root to our attention as a dynamic developmental entity. However,
his research has not been limited to roots. He has authored or
co-authored impressive articles regarding seed structure and histochemistry,
plant morphogenesis, and agriculture, and especially the recent
studies on Pierce’s disease in grapevine. Further, Tom’s
contributions to botanical education via his teaching/mentoring
and his writings have been quite well known and recognized. With
great pleasure, the Botanical Society of America is proud to recognize
Dr. Thomas L. Rost with this highest award.
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Dr. Warren Wagner - 2008
The botanical community is indebted to Dr. Warren L. Wagner
for his major contributions: monography of Oenothera, The
Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii, studies on speciation
and relationships of Marquesan plants, and service at the National
Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution) are among
those that will be most remembered. Born January 8, 1950 (Las
Cruces, New Mexico), Warren early showed the enthusiasm for the
New Mexico landscape. His work on Oenothera for his doctorate
(1981) was at Washington University, St. Louis (Peter Raven, advisor).
In 1982, he undertook what was probably one of the most difficult
and at the same time, the most needed contribution in floristic
botany: a flora of Hawaii. The previous flora (Hillebrand, 1888)
was out of date, and subsequent contributions featured varied
species concepts and were published in scattered places. The 1990
Manual (rev. 1999) was a major factor in permitting botanists
to explore the amazing insular evolutionary phenomena that the
Hawaiian flora contains. Wagner’s work on islands continued
with the Marquesas, where cladistic studies and contributions
using DNA permitted an understanding of the biogeographic nature
of the remote and neglected archipelago. Wagner is both imaginative
and practical, and has served as Chair of Botany at the Smithsonian,
managed funds for IAPT and ASPT, and served in numerous capacities
for professional societies. Moreover, his genial presence, encouragement,
and knowledge have helped advance the careers of younger scientists.
Thus, his identity in monographic, floristic, and phylogenetic
botany has been multiplied significantly.
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Dr. Bruce Baldwin - 2007
Dr. Bruce Baldwin is recognized for his contributions in plant
systematics. Beginning in graduate school, Dr. Baldwin studied
one of the icons of island biogeography, the Hawaiian Silversword
Alliance. His dissertation work using chloroplast DNA was
one of the pioneers on island plant groups and confirmed that
this morphologically diverse group represented a single colonization
event from ancestors in North America. Baldwin reconfirmed
these results using nuclear genes, the internal transcribed
spacer (ITS) region. His development of ITS for plant phylogenetic
study is perhaps his most widely recognized contribution.
Less well-known outside of California is that Dr. Baldwin
has made major contributions to plant floristics, through
his efforts editing the Jepson Desert Manual and the 2nd edition
of the Jepson Manual of California plants. For his many contributions
to the systematics of Asteraceae, Hawaiian plant biogeography
and evolution, and advances in molecular systematics, the
BSA is pleased to recognize Dr. Bruce Baldwin with its highest
award.
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Dr. William Crepet - 2007
Dr. William Crepet is recognized for his contributions in paleobotany, especially the reproductive structures of seed plants. Dr. Crepet's early work on interpreting the development of Cycadeoidea reproductive structure led to a better understanding of the enigmatic fossil group Bennettitales. However, for many, his most important contributions come from his ability to connect fossil and extant plants through phylogenetic study. This is especially true for his contributions to knowledge about fossil angiosperm floral structure, particularly ancient pollination syndromes and their role in flowering plant diversification. For his many contributions to paleobotany and plant phylogeny, the BSA takes pride in recognizing Dr. William Crepet with its highest award.
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Dr. Edith Taylor - 2007
Dr. Edith Taylor is recognized for her contributions in paleobotany.
Her work has focused on the structure and evolution of fossil
plants. Her detailed investigations have permitted the interpretation
of functional and ecological aspects of plants, including
phloem development, plant/insect interactions, and tree growth
and adaptation to high latitudes. For over two decades she
has brought to light the diversity of plants once living in
present day Antarctica. The wealth of information from these
studies has shed light on plant diversity at high latitudes
in the southern hemisphere, plant biogeography and evolution,
and climate history. For her many contributions to paleobotany,
Antarctic paleoclimatology, and the biology and evolution
of fossil plants, the BSA is delighted to recognize Dr. Edith
Taylor with its highest award.
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Dr. Ruth Stockey - 2006
Dr. Ruth Stockey is recognized for her contributions to paleobotany, especially
to our understanding of the anatomy and development of fossil conifers and angiosperms.
Dr. Stockey has been a member of the Botanical Society of America for more than
30 years. She began her research career elucidating the structure and development
of fossil conifers and is recognized as the world's expert in this area. Since
moving to the University of Alberta, she has concentrated on anatomically preserved
fossil angiosperms, providing data on floral structure, development, and phylogeny
in these ancient plants. Her research has been supported by the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada for more than 26 years. Dr.
Stockey is truly an "ambassador of botany" and is involved in collaborative
work with colleagues around the world; her letters of support came from five
countries! She is an enthusiastic teacher and her support and training of students
is exceptional--one student began research in her laboratory in high school,
and received her Ph.D. this year. For her many contributions to paleobotany,
including her dedication to training the next generation of botanists, the BSA
is proud to recognize Dr. Ruth A. Stockey with its highest award.
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Dr. Barbara Webster - 2006
Dr. Barbara Webster is recognized for her many contributions to plant development
and structure. Her early work focused on abscission and senescence in higher
plants, and included anatomy, ultrastructure, histochemistry, and physiology,
as well as experimental work, especially on the genus Phaseolus. Beginning
in the 1970s, Dr. Webster began to concentrate more on reproductive biology,
but she has contributed to a wide range of topics, including nitrogen fixation
in the legumes, environmental stress, and yield of crop plants. Her impressive
publishing career spans more than five decades and includes more than 100
published papers and book chapters; her research has been supported by the
National Science Foundation, the USDA and USAID. Dr. Webster was truly a pioneer
in advocating for increased participation of women and minorities in science,
and has served as a role model and mentor to both undergraduate and graduate
students in plant biology. She is a fellow of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science and the American Society for Horticultural Science,
served as Treasurer and President of the Botanical Society of America, and
has served as Associate Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of
California, Davis since 1989. As one letter writer noted, "It is hard
to believe that Barbara has not already received this award." For her
numerous contributions in many arenas to the field of botany, the BSA is proud
to recognize Dr. Barbara D. Webster with its highest award.
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Dr. Scott D. Russell - 2005
Dr. Scott Russell’s career has been devoted to understanding the morphological,
physiological, and developmental aspects of double fertilization in plants,
and in particular the structure and behavior of sperm cells during reproduction.
Dr. Russell has explored this question using approaches ranging from descriptive
works to experimental studies, resulting in over 100 scientific publications.
His contributions have reshaped this field and have stimulated research in
plant anatomy and morphology for a generation of botanists.
One of his most significant findings is that plant sperm from a single
pollen grain are dimorphic, with dissimilar complements of organelles, and
that this dimorphism leads to a predictable pattern of fertilization. His
research has led to major advances in our understanding of key processes
in sexual plant reproduction such as double fertilization and the maternal
inheritance of organelles. Dr. Russell also continues to enhance public
awareness of botany through his teaching and his informative website.
While the BSA Merit Award to Dr. Russell is based on his significant contributions
to botanical science, he also has given generously of his time to the Botanical
Society of America, serving as President, Webmaster, and longtime member
of the Executive Committee, among other offices. Dr. Russell is most definitely
a technically skilled, forward-thinking scholar who has made a lasting mark
on botanical science and on the Botanical Society of America. In recognition
of his myriad accomplishments, the BSA is proud to present him with a Merit
Award.
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Harry (Jack) T. Horner - 2004
Dr. Horner’s research has primarily
focused on the cytology and development of anthers and pollen and on calcium
oxalate crystal formation in plants. His research has been innovative,
ground-breaking, and sustained. Over the past 43 years, he has published
or has in press 110 papers in 43 high-quality refereed journals. His work
is described by peers as “meticulous,” “pioneering and
outstanding,” and “carefully documented.” His work calls
on multiple tools and approaches, is often collaborative and interdisciplinary,
and has earned him an international reputation as one of the most eminent
specialists worldwide on plant ultrastructure. An indication of his stature
as a researcher is invitations to three Gordon Conferences on calcium
oxalate, for one of which he was chair and another vice-chair.
His “heroic service” and numerous contributions to BSA over
many years are greatly appreciated. Through his participation on committees,
as Chair of the Financial Advisory Board, and in elected office (two terms
as Treasurer and President), he has been an agent of many positive changes
in our Society. He has also served his department and Iowa State University
as Director of the Bessey Microscopy Facility for 34 years, in administrative
positions, and on numerous committees. He served as President of the Iowa
Academy of Science. He has reviewed manuscripts for about 30 journals.
Along with this impressive research productivity and service, Dr. Horner
has been a dedicated and effective teacher. He has taught three different
courses on microscopy each for over 20 years and up to the present, and
his teaching of microscopy techniques is renowned. He has successfully
advised 13 M.S. students and eight Ph.D. students. Many of his students
have gone on to highly successful careers, indications of the solid training
and mentoring he gave them. He has served on well over 100 graduate student
advisory committees in 21 different programs at ISU or elsewhere.
It is not surprising that his numerous accomplishments have brought him
many awards, including a Special Award for long-standing continuous service
to the Botanical Society of America, a Centennial Citation and Distinguished
Service Award from the Iowa Academy of Science, and the highest award
at ISU, a University Professorship.
One of the best measures of one’s reputation is recognition by
peers. Hence from the supporters of Dr. Horner’s nomination we hear
that he maintains “the highest standards of performance imaginable,”
that he is a “model of clarity and rigorous scholarship,”
as well as “an exemplary scholar and citizen–and a good guy.”
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James L. Seago, Jr. - 2004
This award is in recognition of the tremendous
contributions Dr. Seago has made in encouraging and supporting students
to pursue careers in botany. Dr.Seago has spent the majority of his career
at the State University of New York, Oswego, a primarily undergraduate
institution where the faculty carry heavy teaching responsibilities. Despite
this, he has maintained an active research program involving undergraduate
students and has mentored many of them to continue to graduate school
in botany. It is primarily for his mentoring of undergraduates that we
recommend Dr. Seago for this award.
If students do not enter botany, the field will wither away. Attracting
students into botany may not advance one’s career as publications
and grants do, but without a steady flow of new students, and especially
students who are bright and interested, into botanical graduate programs,
all botanists will have increasing difficulty publishing and obtaining
funding. Dr. Seago has made remarkable and long-standing contributions
to the flow of students into our discipline. He has the ability to spot
interest and aptitude, to involve students in research, and thus to nurture
their ability and interest. He has fostered student attendance at professional
meetings and their presentation of papers at these meetings, and he has
co-authored papers with students. In more than half of the past 30 years,
Dr. Seago has coauthored a presentation or a paper with a student.
One colleague noted that “Jim obviously works closely with the
students in planning the research and in helping prepare the talk, and
the results are clear to all. Jim’s students know their stuff and
are well prepared to present their work in the most professional and effective
manner.” One colleague summarized Dr. Seago’s mentoring of
students as an “unrivaled, significant, and persistent commitment
toward fostering undergraduate botanical research over the last 30 years.”
Dr. Seago has encouraged many students to pursue careers in botany by
actively promoting their applications to graduate schools. His matching
of students with graduate programs that are right for them has not only
benefitted the students but also the programs and ultimately plant sciences.
Dr. Seago has served his profession and his home institution in many
important ways in addition to bringing students into botany. He was department
chair for six years and has served on numerous committees at SUNY Oswego.
He has served the Botanical Society of America as Program Director of
the Developmental and Structural Section (1994-1997) and has been a diligent
and hard-working reviewer for the American Journal of Botany.
Dr. Seago’s research deals with root developmental anatomy as well
as the structure, development, and function of aquatic and wetlands plants.
One colleague notes that “When one thinks of plants and roots, one
must think of Jim Seago.” He has published 14 papers in refereed
journals (nine papers in the American Journal of Botany) and has one in
press. His research program, while modest in terms of number of publications
and grant support, is admired by colleagues who describe it as “solid
and substantial,” and “solid scholarly contributions.”
For his outstanding contributions to botanical science, and especially
for being, as a colleague observed, the “vibrant, enthusiastic teacher
and researcher” that he is, Jim Seago is unquestionably deserving
of the Botanical Society of America’s highest honor.
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Spencer
C.H. Barrett - 2003
For his myriad contributions to reproductive biology, plant breeding systems
and aquatic ecology. He established heterostyly as a model system in reproduction,
contributed to understanding of the evolutionary modification of floral
development, genetic structure of populations, the role of incompatibility
in the breeding systems of natural populations, the evolution of dioecy
and the influence of gender ratio in determining plant breeding systems.
In addition to his service as Associate Editor and Book Review Editor of
the American Journal of Botany, he mentored a generation of plant biologists,
including 2 Master's students, 9 Ph.D. students and 6 postdoctoral associates
who have occupied faculty positions.
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Jack B. Fisher - 2003
The 30 years of contributions made to botany
by Dr. Fisher have been broad, deep, original, and patient. He has carefully
combined anatomical, developmental, physiological, and ecological considerations,
to show how tropical plants grow and adapt. He has made critical contributions
to our understanding of water transport in lianas and fundamental discoveries
on the developmental basis of tropical tree geometry. In the same way that
he has waited patiently for tree seedlings to mature and yield their anatomical
secrets, he has worked for 20 years to forge alliances between Fairchild
Botanical Garden and institutions of higher learning to promote education
of the next generation of comparative botanists. Dr. Fisher has benefited
botany through his research and his thoughtful outreach and he richly deserves
recognition through a BSA Merit Award for these admirable accomplishments.
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Leslie
G. Hickok - 2003
Dr. Hickok has made a career out of defying
the odds and generating surprises. While others were intimidated by the
high chromosome numbers of ferns, he showed that valuable insights into
polyploidy and speciation could be obtained by studying their cytogenetics.
While the mainstream focused attention on Arabidopsis as a plant model system,
Hickok promoted the unique properties of the fern Ceratopteris. His pioneering
work on selection and mutation using this model demonstrated the power of
a system that separated gametophytic and sporophytic life stages. More recently,
he has succeeded in marrying his deep commitment to advancing botanical
knowledge and his desire to provide meaningful, enriching experiences for
biology students. Through his insight and perseverance, he transformed Ceratopteris
into C-fern, and now over 60,000 students per year are learning about plant
genetics using this inexpensive but effective teaching system. Dr. Hickok
is a distinguished scholar whose research and teaching efforts at all levels
from K-12 to international seminars can be characterized as groundbreaking,
inspirational, dedicated, and unselfish. For his outstanding contributions
and longstanding generosity, the BSA is pleased to present a Merit Award
to Dr. Leslie G. Hickok.
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Jeffrey
D. Palmer - 2003
Dr. Palmer has excelled in his contributions
to botanical science. His astonishing research productivity has resulted
in over 200 scientific papers, many of them published in the most prestigious
scientific journals. Dr. Palmer has fundamentally transformed the scientific
landscape we now operate in through his legendary contributions to phylogenetics
and gene and genome evolution. He has arguably been the most influential
person in the development of the field of molecular systematics of plants
and has been directly responsible for the paradigm shift in our current
views of evolutionary relationships among eukaryotes, including higher plants.
Other major contributions from his laboratory include the characterization
and evolution of introns and plant mitochondrial genomes, the evolution
of plastid genes in non-photosynthetic plants, and the origin and evolution
of chloroplasts. The list of the graduate students and post-docs trained
in his laboratory reads like a who's who of botanical science. His collaborative
approach and willingness to share data has built a sense of community among
plant molecular phylogenetics workers unparalleled in other fields of organismal
biology. At the same time, Dr. Palmer has generously served as department
chair at Indiana University as well as on review panels and editorial boards
and has promoted outreach through his many public presentations. For his
innovative and productive scientific contributions, Dr. Palmer has received
many awards, among them the Wilhelmine Key Award from the American Genetic
Association, election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the
U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and an ISI Highly Cited Award for the
top 15 most cited plant and animal scientists. In honor of his extraordinary
accomplishments, the BSA is proud to present him with a Merit Award.
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Carol
C. & Jerry M. Baskin - 2001
We were impressed by their extensive contributions
to the field of seed ecology, each having about 300 articles and other important
publications. Their lab is the only one in the world that has been able
to maintain a research focus on seed ecology for such a long time, since
the mid-1960s.
The Baskins have also written a highly-praised book, "Seeds-Ecology,
Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination, published in
1998 by Academic Press. An exerpt from one review of this book states
" Carol and Jerry Baskin bring many years of seed germination experience
with a wide array of species to what is an inspiring work. They interweave
their own studies of numerous temperate North American species with those
done by others world-wide. To provide some idea of scope, individual chapters
contain hundreds of references, with two chapters each having more than
a thousand. Just as the number of studies presented is extensive, so too
is the number of species. Nearly 6400 are listed in the taxonomic index!
These species provide a substantive base for the concluding discussion
of biogeographic and evolutionary aspects of seed dormancy and germination.
We are indebted to the Baskins' for their fine contribution, surely a
labor of love, to the seed literature."
Proponents also cite Carol and Jerry Baskin's generous service to the
Botanical Society of America and other societies, on editorial boards,
and in helping undergraduate and graduate students. They have been an
inspiration to their own students and colleagues worldwide as exceptionally
kind and tolerant people.
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Leslie
Gottlieb - 2000
Dr. Leslie Gottlieb has had a profound impact
on the direction of plant systematics and has been one of the most influential
plant evolutionary biologists over the past several decades. His 1977 paper
in the Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, laid the foundation for
the intelligent application of allozyme data in plant systematics. His 1982
paper in Science is a classic study of the duplication and conservation
of isozyme loci in plants. His 1984 paper in the American Naturalist has
been called one the most important papers in plant evolutionary biology
during the past half century. However, his greatest contribution may have
come through his influence on the careers and research of a substantial
number of plant evolutionary biologists, including many of the people most
active in this field today. Despite the fact that his research has often
been more genetic or molecular in nature, Leslie has remained a botanist
at heart.
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Daniel
J. Crawford - 1999
A role model in botany, combining service
to plant science and a productive research program. Prof. Crawford's service
to the profession has covered an impressive span of over 30 years, with
some 23 years as an officer, committee member, and most recently, president
in 1996. He received the Alston Award for the best paper in the Phytochemical
section in 1983. He has been very active with the NSF, with the International
Organization of Plant Biosystematists, has provided frequent service as
a member of editorial and review bodies, and as a cornerstone of the American
Society of Plant Taxonomists. He served the ASPT as President in 1988, and
received their most prestigious award, the Asa Gray Award, in 1997. His
research record is prodigious, with over 150 research articles. His passionate
dedication to botanical research marks him as one of the leading systematic
botanists/evolutionists of our time. He made great contributions to understanding
macroevolutionary trends in plants and played a major role in the development
of molecular systematics, in particular with the publication of the book,
Plant Molecular Systematics. Through it all he has kept his focus on the
key scientific questions, not on techniques. He has trained 19 graduate
students. He exemplifies impeccable scientific ethics while maintaining
a genuinely warm and considerate personality. He embodies the award criteria
"...to have made outstanding contributions to botanical science."
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Barbara
Schaal - 1999
A long and distinguished record of excellence
in research, service, and teaching. Dr. Schaal has made many outstanding
contributions in over 80 publications to a variety of botanical disciplines,
including population genetics, systematics, ecology, conservation biology,
and economic botany. She is perhaps best known for her ability to apply
new molecular methods to interesting and important questions. Her studies
of ecological genetics and genetic divergence in domesticated plants are
especially noteworthy. Furthermore, she has trained 12 Ph.D. students, and
hosted many postdoctoral and visiting scientists in her laboratory. Her
service to professional societies is truly exceptional, including the presidency
of BSA. As BSA President, she was a leader in the best sense of the word;
she inspired others to contribute, and earned respect because she had a
clear vision of her goals, and articulated them lucidly. She has also served
as Executive Vice President of the Society for the Study of Evolution, on
the Editorial Boards of three journals (Molecular Ecology, Functional Ecology,
and Molecular Biology and Evolution), and on several NSF panels, while also
serving as Chair of the Biology Department at Washington University, and
most recently was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Schaal
is widely viewed as one of the most eminent of the Botanical Society of
America, and has been the role model for many in the classroom and in her
profession.
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Tod Stuessy - 1999
A productive and influential botanist with
particular impact in plant systematics. His contributions include monographic
studies in the Asteraceae, very early promotion of the burgeoning field
of cladistics, strong advocacy for collections, and insights into the origin
and evolution of island plants. He is a consummate internationalist, with
huge influence in South America, Asia, and now Europe. His mastery of Spanish,
and clear understanding and sensitivity for Latin American cultures, close
ties with scientists, and various agencies has led to a multitude of collaborations
and prodigious productivity—with over 200 publications including seven
edited or single authored books. The highlight of the latter was his 1990
book, Plant Taxonomy: The Systematic Evaluation of Comparative Data, winner
of the prestigious Henry Allan Gleason Award. He has trained 18 graduate
students. His service to professional societies is exemplary. His presidency
of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists was marked by perhaps the greatest
number of initiatives in the past three decades. He has also served the
NSF as a program director, held multiple offices in the Association of Systematics
Collections and the BSA, and worked tirelessly to promote botany at the
local level though the Ohio Academy of Science. He has been honored by selection
as a fellow of the Linnean Society of London, and by the AAAS. During his
30 year career, he made extraordinary contributions to botany.
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Margaret
B. Davis - 1998
For her fundamental contributions in quantifying
modem and fossil pollen abundances and relating them to existing and past
vegetations, the essential starting point for broader scale analyses using
proxy data sources in the quantitative reconstructions of past climates.
Insights gained from such reconstructions have challenged and changed assumptions
of neo-ecologists and have been critical in discussions of possible patterns
of vegetation change in the wake of global climate, change.
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Paul
B. Green - 1998
For his innovative, technically brilliant
and analytically fundamental work on plant morphogenesis; for the first
direct measurements of cell turgor pressure and the quantitative description
of the importance of wall theology in governing growth rates in Nitella;
for microscopic studies of the initiation and early growth of leaves and
flowers; for elucidating the bioengineering principles underlying phyllotactic
pattern; for his eloquent, good-humored, inspired, and inspiring presentations
that have linked the communities interested in developmental and theoretical
biology.
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Dominick
Paolillo - 1998
For his innovative and scholarly research
on the developmental anatomy of Isoetes; for his visualization of the three-dimensional
arrangement of the lamellar components of the higher plant chloroplast;
for his detailed and comprehensive studies of moss sporogenesis, spermatogenesis
and the release of sperms, the developmental analyses of the growth of moss
sporophytes and the expansion of their capsules; for his revisionist insights
into Onoclea male sexuality and photobiology; and for his continuing contribution
to the effects of dwarfing genes on the development of wheat.
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Edward
L. Schneider - 1998
For his skill as a researcher in vascular
plant anatomy, as a teacher of plant sciences, and as a botanical administrator.
Edward L. Schneider has inspired cooperation, enterprise, and excellence
at the institutions he has served.
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Nels
Lersten - 1997
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Elbert
Little - 1997
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Grady
Webster - 1997
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Hugh
H. Iltis - 1996
Distinguished botanist, for his research
on the evolution of Zea mays and the systematics of Capparaceae, for his
strong concern for the next generation of botanists in the U.S. and Mexico,
for his extensive botanical field work and development of the University
of Wisconsin herbarium, and for his devotion and tireless commitment to
the preservation of biological resources.
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Karl
J. Niklas - 1996
For his innovative and scholarly research
on the paleobiochemistry of vascular and non-vascular fossil plants, for
his almost single-handed development of the field of biomechanics, in particular
the aerodynamics of wind pollination in extinct and extent seed plants,
for his skilled communication of research findings, for being unfailingly
helpful to his colleagues, for his talent as an award winning teacher, and
for his service to the Botanical Society of America on several committees
and as editor of the American Journal of Botany.
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Robert
F. Thorne - 1996
Internationally renowned giant in the field
of plant systematics for landmark contributions in understanding large-scale
phylogenetic patterns in flowering plants evolution, for insightful papers
in the field of plant geography, most notably those on major disjunctions
in seed plants, South African-American plant relationships, Australasian
rain forests, major floristic regions of North America and desert vegetation
in south-western North America, and as an enthusiastic and inspirational
teacher.
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Isabella
A. Abbott - 1995
The first Hawaiian woman to receive a Ph.D.,
eminent phycologist, authority on algal diversity along the California coast;
and ethnobotanist, authority on traditional use of Hawaiian plants.
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James
E. Canright - 1995
Scholar on the Ranales, his systematic studies
of primative angiosperm groups contributed to the understanding of flowering
plant evolution and his pioneering work in palynology established the significance
of the discipline for both basic and applied research.
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Gregory
J. Anderson - 1994
Tropical systematist, authority on Solanum
and pollination biology, stimulation teacher, dedicated and effective voice
of the Botanical Society as Secretary and President, and whole plant biologistin
every sense.
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Lafayette
Frederick - 1994
Prominent educator, mycologist, tireless
promoter of students in science, superlative and inspiring teacher for over
40 years, and outstanding role model for students and faculty.
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Daniel
I. Axelrod - 1993
Outstanding paleobotanist and geologist;
authority on evolution of paleofloras and the origin of modern vegetation
types; expert on palaeoclimates and on changing morphospecies through geological
time; author of the theory of tropical highland origin of angiosperms.
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Robert
Ornduff - 1993
Inspiring and imaginative scholar and teacher;
President of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and the California
Botanical Society; significant contributor to advancing our fundamental
understanding of the reproductive biology and systematics of plants.
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David
L. Dilcher - 1991
Dedicated researcher who has revolutionized
the study of angiosperm fossils and contributed significantly to our understanding
of the origin of the angiosperms; inspiring teacher who has given outstanding
service to the Botanical Society of America as Program Director, Secretary,
and President.
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Patricia
K. Holmgren - 1991
Distinguished botanist who has served the
Botanical Society of America as President, Vice President and Secretary,
this award recognizes her dedication to the profession of botany as the
inestimable Director of the Herbarium of the New York Botanical Garden,
and her exemplary conduct as a role model for aspiring young botanists.
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Ian W.
Sussex - 1991
Productive scientist whose morphogenetic
research extends from the classical to the molecular; devoted and able teacher,
mentor of many excellent and influential graduate students; co-author of
an outstanding book on plant development; planner of important symposia
and conferences; excellent botanical citizen and colleague.
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W. Hardy
Eshbaugh - 1992
Inspiring and caring teacher, dedicated researcher,
able administrator, president of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists,
the Botanical Society of America, and the Society of Economic Botany, and
champion of the science of botany.
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Raymond
Carl Jackson - 1992
Outstanding contributor to cytogenetics,
particularly to our understanding of polyploidy, discoverer of low chromosome
numbers in angiosperms, dedicated teacher, systematist, administrator, and
servant of the Botanical Society of America.
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Beryl B. Simpson - 1992
Distinguished botanist recognized for her
research in systematics, biogeography, and pollination biology, for her
teaching, for her service to biological societies, including presidencies
of the Botanical Society of America and the Society for the Study of Evolution,
and as the author of a widely used textbook on economic botany.
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Kenton
Chambers - 1990
Eminent biosystematist, internationally recognized
for his studies of various genera of Asteraceae; a pioneer in the development
of plant conservation in Oregon; stimulating teacher who has inspired many
students to become botanists.
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Bassett
Maguire - 1990
Author of numerous and outstanding contributions
to neotropical botany; explorer and plant collector in the "Lost World"
of the Guiana Highlands; prime mover in the creation of the Intermountain
Flora. He is the taxonomic authority on the family Clusiaceae.
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Carlos
A. Miller - 1990
Effective and dedicated teacher; patient
and ingenious experimenter; co-discoverer of the nature of the cytokinins
and of their interactions with auxin in the control of morphogenesis; co-author
of one of the most cited papers in the field of plant physiology.
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Philip
Barry Tomlinson - 1990
A leading authority on plant form and structure,
and one of the primary exponents of modern morphology and anatomy, with
special emphasis on monocots and woody plants. Barry has served us as a
model and an inspiration for investigating many neglected aspects of the
botany of the tropics.
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Joseph
A. Ewan - 1989
Historian of American botany and natural history, including Rocky Mountain naturalists and such early figures as Banister, Bartram and Barton; a prolific writer, engaging teacher and sparkling public speaker.
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David
E. Fairbrothers - 1989
Eminent taxonomist, authority on New Jersey
plants and their history; pioneer and international leader in chemosystematics
using protein data to clarify relationships; promoter of the National Pinelands
Preserve and consultant to lawmakers of endangered species.
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| |
Arthur
R. Kruckeberg - 1989
Pioneer and authority on serpentine endemism; builder of bridges across fields of edaphic ecology, systematics, cytotaxonomy, evolution, conservation and ornamental and native plant horticulture; outstanding teacher.
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Richard
W. Pohl - 1989
Premier expert on grasses of temperate and
tropical America; inspiring classroom teacher and advisor of many noted
agrostology students; botanist whose notoriously wry sense of humor keeps
him from being "glumey".
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Shirley
C. Tucker - 1989
Worldwide leader in the use of floral ontogeny
to elucidate evolution in many families, most recently the legumes, ardent
lichenologist on the side; tireless worker for the Botanical Society as
committee member, section officer, Program Director and President.
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| |
Aubrey
Willard Naylor - 1988
Distinguished plant physiologist, author and botanical statesman for 50 years; innovative investigator of mechanisms of action of plant growth regulators, and of amino acid and nucleic acid metabolism.
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Richard
Evans Schultes - 1988
World renowned economic botanist, editor, explorer, and inspiring professor; author of definitive works on orchids and rubber, and on hallucinogenic, narcotic and medicinal plants.
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T. Elliot
Weier - 1988
Pioneer in chloroplast structure, particularly ultrastructure, lichenologist of note; superb teacher; exceptional mentor of students and teaching assistants; author of widely used texts.
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| |
Josiah
L. Lowe - 1987
Exuberant mycologist, top specialist of polypores with classical monographs on Fomes, Poria, and Tyromyces; fiercely dedicated teacher of botany for fifty years.
|
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William
Louis Stern - 1987
Erudite systematist in wood anatomy of dicotyledons, keen investigator in biology of orchids, superlative teacher, theorist, curator, editor, leader and trustee.
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Thomas
N. Taylor - 1987
Topnotch teacher, author, administrator; already a worldwide leader in pale-botanical research, ranging from spores to cambium and from U.S.A. to Antarctica.
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Bernard
O. Phinney - 1986
Meticulous research in plant physiology and
student of the biochemical genetics of hormonal metabolism, he has deciphered
the metabolic pathway of gibberellins and made profound contributions to
phytoendocrinology.
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John
G. Torrey - 1986
Developmental botanist and student of root
biology, he has contributed classic works on the origin of vascular patterns,
cambium activation, quiescent center, lateral root development, and the
symbiosis of the actinomycete Frankia with roots of non-leguminous plants.
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Billie
L. Turner - 1986
Exuberant champion of plant systematics,
pioneer in chemotaxonomy, and critical student and monographer of Compositae
and Leguminosae, he has served with distinction as administrator, inspiring
teacher of graduate students, and as ubiquitous catalyzer in contemporary
botany.
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Alden
S. Crafts - 1985
Renowned plant physiologist and bulwark of
botany.
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Charles Heimsch - 1985
Comparative plant anatomist, national leader
in botany, President of the Botanical Society of America, and consummate
Editor of the Journal.
|
| |
Barbara
Palser - 1985
Botanist and plant anatomist of many talents,
editor, writer of handbooks, adviser of students, Secretary and President
of the Botanical Society of America.
|
| |
Martin
Zimmermann - 1985
In appreciation of his singularly imaginative
approaches to botany, which spanned artificial boundaries between disciplines
and inspired a generation of colleagues to look at the close interdependence
of structure, function and development.
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Donald
R. Kaplan - 1984
A developmental morphologist par excellence,
whose detailed investigations and insightful analyses of leaf development
have set the standard in the field. - University of California, Berkeley
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| |
Theodore
T. Kozlowski - 1984
A distinguished forest physiologist whose
contributions to our understanding of tree growth are unsurpassed. His studies
of water movement are classics as are his investigations of the mobilization
and utilization of photosynithates and seed reserves. - University of Wisconsin
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| |
Rolla
M. Tryon - 1984
Who is preeminently knowledgeable in matters
of taxonomy and nomenclature. This foremost pteriodologist is a perceptive
student of phytogeography and of the evolutionary impact of the selective
process during plant migration. - Harvard University
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| |
Harold
A. Mooney - 1983
In recognition of his efforts linking plant
ecology and plant physiology; for his contributions to increasing our understanding
of carbon balance, photosynthesis, and water relations of native, plants.
- Stanford Universityb
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Winslow
R. Briggs - 1983
For pre-eminence in research ranging from
vernation in ferns and hormone transport to the chemistry and biophysics
of light-mediated growth of plants. He is researcher, professor and director
par excellence. - Carnegie Institution of Washington
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Richard
Allen Popham - 1983
In recognition of a long-term student of
plant apices, including root, shoot and flower; histologist and anatomist
with a penchant for precision; a hard-working and innovative manager of
the purse strings of the Society's journal; - for his devotion to his field,
to his students and to the Society . - Ohio State University
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| |
Ralph
O. Erickson - 1982
For contributions to our understanding of
integrative mechanisms of plant development using mathematical analyses;
for introducing the plastochron index for measuring the shoot apical activity
and for leadership in developing models allowing computer analysis of pl
ant growth. - University of Pennsylvania
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Ray F.
Evert - 1982
For furthering understanding of ontogeny,
structure and seasonal development of phloem; for analyses of leaf structure
relative to solute transport and for co- authorship of a population general
botany text. - University of Wisconsin, Madison
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William
A. Jensen - 1982
For basic contributions in plant cytology,
histochemistry and embryology: for preparation of three widely used botanical
texts and for loyal service to the Botanical Society. - University of California,
Berkeley
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| |
Frank
B. Salisbury - 1982
For contributions to understanding flower
initiation, growth of alpine plants, and plant responses to ultraviolet
light and gravity; for authorship of texts on pl ant physiology, general
botany and plant form and function, and for service to the
Botanica1 Society. - Utah State University
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| |
Clanton
C. Black, Jr. - 1981
For his significant contributions to our
knowledge of the photosynthetic process; for probing the similarities and
differences in carbon metabolism in C3' C4 and CAM plants; and for seeing
the immediate implications for both agriculture and ecology in new advances
in photosynthetic chemistry. - University of Georgia
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Ernest
M. Gifford - 1981
For his services to The Society as Editor-in-Chief
of the American Journal of Botany, for contributions to botanical science
as mentor of many professional botanists and as an author of a popular text,
and for research that has extended the frontiers of plant development and
structure. - University of California at Davis
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Herbert
G. Baker - 1980
For his contributions to evolutionary ecology
and for his teaching of ecology and economic botany. - University of California,
Berkeley
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| |
Oswald
Tippo - 1980
For his devotion and service to the botanical
profession as a teacher, editor, phylogenist and anatomist. - University
of Massachusetts
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| |
Carl
L. Wilson - 1980
Honored for his contributions to floral morphology
(telome theory) and his studies on evolution in the Gesneriaceae. - Dartmouth
College
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| |
David
W. Bierhorst - 1979
For his incisive and significant investigations
of vascular cryptogams, expecially Psilotum and Tmesipteris; for his painstaking
studies of lesser-known ferns; and for his comprehensive book on the morphology
of vascular plants. - University of Massachusetts
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| |
Margaret
H. Fulford - 1979
For her excellent studies of the morphology
and taxonomy of the leafy liverworsts, for her syntheses regarding the phylogeny
of liverworts, and for her distinguished career as a teacher and investigator
in Bryology. - University of Cincinnati
|
| |
Anton
Lang - 1979
For his extensive and diverse contributions
to developmental botany, especially the physiology of plant hormones, flowering,
plant response to environment, cell differentiation, and organ formation;
for numerous efforts in behalf of international botany, including many editorial
tasks; and for coordinating the research of others as director of several
laboratories. - Michigan State University
|
| |
Samuel
N. Postlethwait - 1979
For his contributions to the art of botanical
teaching, specifically for his long-standing love of students and his development
of the audio-tutorial system of laboratory instruction; and for research
on the morphology of corn. - Purdue University
|
| |
Lyman
D. Benson - 1978
For many years of outstanding teaching and
close association with students; for his taxonomic research on the flora
of North America, especially such groups as the Ranunculaceae and Cactaceae;
and for his preparation of taxonomic and botanical textbooks. - Pomona College
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Theodore
Delevoryas - 1978
For distinguished contributions to Mesozoic
paleobotany, especially to our knowledge of the cycadeoids, cycads and conifers
and the elucidation of the reproductive structures of Glossopteris. - University
of Texas at Austin
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| |
Warren
H. Wagner, Jr. - 1978
For his numerous and outstanding contributions
to our knowledge of the morphology, classification and evolution of ferns
and for his most distinguished career as a teacher of botany to both undergraduate
and graduate students. - University of Michigan
|
| |
W. Gordon
Whaley - 1978
In recognition of his early contributions
to genetics and morphogenesis and of his pioneering role in elucidating
the cellular biology of plants, with special reference to the Golgi apparatus.
- University of Texas at Austin
|
 |
Sherwin Carlquist - 1977
Noted anatomist, naturalist, and explorer,
Professor Carlquist has given us new understanding of adaptations of xylem,
island evolution, and plant dispersal. - Claremont Graduate School, Pomona
College, and Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Plant Discoveries
- Sherwin Carlquist
|
| |
Rogers
McVaugh - 1977
For distinguished contributions to the exploration
for, and systematic studies of, New World plants and to the general area
of plant nomenclature. - University of Michigan
|
 |
Peter Hamilton Raven - 1977
In recognition of his excellent contributions
to angiosperm biogeography and the systematics and general biology of Onagraceae
as well as his outstanding success in both teaching and administration.
- Missouri Botanical Garden
|
| |
Charles
M. Rick - 1976
For major work basic to economic importance
involving both the cytology and genetics of crop plants and for spreading
his knowledge and capabilities as an authority on this subject to many places
in the world. - University of California, Davis
|
| |
Paul
Weatherwax - 1976
For long continued devotion to gaining an
understanding of the probable origin and evolution of one of our most important
crop plants, Zea mays, and for ancillary information essential
to comprehending the problems dealing with and improving this most important
grain. - Indiana University
|
|
Thomas
W. Whitaker - 1976
For distinguished contributions to the understanding
of economic plants, notably their improvement, and for a unique contribution
in interpreting this understanding in terms of their domestication and their
influence on the development of civilizations.
|
| |
Harlan
P. Banks - 1975
For his distinguished teaching of undergraduate
and graduate students, numerous contributions to our knowledge of early
land vegetation and services as a former President of the Botanical Society
of America. - Cornell University
|
 |
F. Herbert
Bormann - 1975
For his distinguished studies of nutrient
and water flow through the Hubbard Brook Watershed, for his numerous important
pronouncements on environmental hazards and for his responsible actions
on behalf of the biological community. - Yale University
|
| |
William
C. Steere - 1975
For his fundamental contributions in the
biology of the bryophytes and Arctic botany, and a long-term successful
development in the administration of the New York Botanical Garden. - New
York Botanical Garden
|
| |
Chester
A. Arnold - 1974
Distinguished student of the structure and
evolutionary significance of fossil plants; his many contributions have
greatly advanced our knowledge of the vegetation of past ages and exemplify
the highest standards of objective reporting and honest interpretations.
- University of Michigan
|
|
Arthur
Cronquist - 1974
Systematist sensu lato: creator
of imaginative phylogenetic systems; effective organizer of and prolific
contributor to monumental regional floras of North America; monographer
and foremost student of North American Compositae. - New York Botanical
Garden
|
| |
Gerald
W. Prescott - 1974
Influential teacher and knowledgeable student
of the taxonomy, ecology and geography of fresh water algae, especially
desmids, of North America; proponent of the importance of algae in limnology;
prime mover in the founding of the Phycological Society of America. - University
of Montana Biological Station, Flathead Lake
|
|
Charles
Stacy French - 1973
Skillful and persistent investigator of the
spectral properties and state of chlorophyll in tissues; inventor and gadgeteer
par excellence; able and genial administrator of a productive center
of botanical research. - Carnegie Institution of Washington at Stanford
|
| |
Mildred
Esther Mathias - 1973
Scholarly systematist and distinguished student
of the Umbelliferae; enthusiastic and able teacher; her effective encouragement
of tropical botanical education and her leadership in the development of
American botanical gardens suggest the breadth of her influence. - University
of California at Los Angeles
|
| |
Richard
Cawthon Starr - 1973
Distinguished student of soil algae, sexuality
of desmids, and reproduction and differentiation of Volvox; his
great service to biology in founding and maintaining the culture collection
of algae at Indiana University is widely appreciated. - Indiana University
|
| |
Aaron
J. Sharp - 1972
Bryololgist, plant geographer; he has demonstrated
the floristic relationships between North America and Asia from the Arctic
to the Tropics. An outstanding and enthusiastic teacher, he has inspired
and guided many who have become leading botanists. - University of Tennessee
|
| |
Charles
B. Heiser, Jr. - 1972
Scholarly student of the systematics and
evolution of vascular plants; his original and significant contributions
through extended studies of Compositae and Solanaceae have utilized many
techniques; his interest in the origins of cultivated plants and wee |
