S. E. Clemants
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Name
Steven E. Clemants
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Dates
1954 - 2 Nov 2008
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Specialities
Juncaceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Bejaria, Spermatophytes, Bryophytes
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Roles
Determiner, Collector, Author
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Movement Details
United States of America, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Mexico
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Notes
Collector Notes: BKL; MINN, NY, NYS
Author Notes: Juncaceae, Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Bejaria (Ericaceae); BKL, MINN, NY
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From Flora of North America Newsletter 22(2): 24, 2008:
Dr. Steven Clemants
1954–2008
Steve Clemants, a senior scientist at Brooklyn
Botanic Garden, died in Brooklyn on Sunday,
November 2, 2008. He was an author or co-author
for many FNA treatments in Amaranthaceae,
Chenopodiaceae, and Juncaceae.
Steve graduated from the University of Minnesota
in 1976 but remained there to pursue a master’s
degree in botany with a minor in horticulture, which he
obtained in 1979. Steve’s botanical pursuits took him
to the City University of New York (CUNY) where,
working at the New York Botanical Garden with
curator James Luteyn, he pursued a doctorate in botany.
His graduate work focused on New World members of
the blueberry family in the genus Bejaria. He obtained
his doctorate in botany from CUNY in 1984.
In 1989, Steve accepted a position as a research
taxonomist at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, where he
later served as director of Science; vice president of
Science, Publications, and Library; and senior research
scientist. As Steve continued his botanical research, he
developed additional interests in urban ecology and
conservation. Shortly after arriving at the Garden, he
founded the New York Metropolitan Flora program,
which has become an international model for studying plants in urban environments. Data from this
pioneering project are now yielding important information on how human-caused phenomena, such as
global warming and development, are affecting the
region’s plants. He also was one of the people most
responsible for development for the North American
Strategy for Plant Conservation, which identified
Flora of North America as the vehicle for the goal
of working toward a complete list of the flora of
North America. His treatment of Bejaria (Ericaceae)
will be published as part of FNA volume 8.
The Dr. Steven Clemants Wildflower Fund has
been established to honor our late colleague and
friend. Steve’s widow, Grace Markman, is working
with the Greenbelt Native Plant Center to plan a
living memorial that will foster the planting of native
wildflower species in New York City parks. Donations
in his memory should be made out to “City Parks
Foundation, Dr. Steven Clemants Wildflower Fund,”
and mailed to City Parks Foundation, c/o Greenbelt
Native Plant Center, 3808 Victory Blvd., Staten
Island, NY 10314. -
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