R. McVaugh
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Name
Rogers McVaugh
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Dates
1909 - 2009
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Specialities
Spermatophytes
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Roles
Author, Determiner, Collector
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Movement Details
United States of America, Utah, Mexico
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Notes
Collector Notes: often et al. Utah (1953): MICH (orig.), NY
Reference: Authors of Plant Names. 1992; Brittonia 19: 266 (1967); Cyperus orbicephalus (Beetle) T. Koyama & McVaugh; Index Herbariorum - Collectors M; isotype of Bursera citronella (NY ID# 51000); Lobelia occidentalis McVaugh & Huft; NY 259604; NY 274262; Schoenocaulon lauricola, NY bar-code 319836; Trigonosperma blakei McVaugh & Lask. (NY 274259)
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From Flora of North America Newsletter 23(2): 20-21. 2009.
Rogers McVaugh
1909–2009
On September 24, 2009, systematics lost one of our
recent giants with the passing of Rogers McVaugh
nearly four months after celebrating his 100th birthday.
Although not directly involved in FNA, some of his
work in Compositae,
Myrtaceae, Campanulaceae,
Prunus, and his Flora NovoGaliciana has (and will) be
used by authors in preparing
treatments of these groups.
Rogers was born on May
30, 1909 in Brooklyn, New
York. His undergraduate
degree came from
Swarthmore College in 1931,
and he was granted a Ph.D. from the University of
Pennsylvania in 1935, studying Lobelia under the
guidance of Dr. John Fogg. His academic career began
that same year at The University of Georgia, with a
move in 1938 to join the United States Department of
Agriculture where he spent time in Texas and the
Southwest conducting field work on cherries. He came to
the University of Michigan in 1946, where he was
Curator of Vascular Plants until he retired in 1979 as
well as being Director of the Herbarium from 1972 until
1975. During his tenure at Michigan, he also spent
1955–56 as the Program Director for Systematic Biology
at the National Science Foundation and served briefly as
Acting State Botanist for the New York State Museum,
producing the Flora of the Columbia County area published in 1958. In 1980, he relocated to Chapel Hill,
North Carolina, where he held the title of Research
Professor of Botany. During his 29 years in Chapel Hill,
he continued his work on the Flora Novo-Galiciana, and
other projects large and small, while also maintaining an
Photo by Tom Van Devender, March 2003.Flora of North America Newsletter 23(2), July – December 2009
22
above, Rogers had a significant publication record, one
that spanned a full 70 years—not a feat that many can
claim! A complete bibliography of his just over 200 publications is also available on the UNC Herbarium Web page.
I (ASW) remember Rog for many kindnesses and interesting discussions about botany, history, politics, personalized license plates, the books he was reading at the
time, places he had botanized, construction on campus—anything really—he had a keen curiosity about just
about everything. A few years ago, I walked across the
hall to ask him about the influential American botanist
John K. Small (1869–1938), specifically looking for
sources of information about Small’s philosophy regarding the application of the taxonomic ranks of species
and variety. What I expected was a thoughtful discussion
about it, with Rog perhaps at some point saying “well,
you know, X discussed that in some length in a paper
published in the mid 50s; you should look that up.”
What I didn’t expect was what happened: Rog chuckled
quietly, and said “well, the last time I spoke with him—I
guess it would have been about ’36—he expressed himself very succinctly and vigorously on that matter. He
said, ‘if you can recognize it, it’s a species!’”
I (RKR) remember Rog as a kind man with an absolutely amazing mind for details. I can recall speaking
with him during (I believe) his last visit to Michigan about
five years ago and thinking “I hope that I can be even
half as sharp as Rog when I reach 95.” While his publications and many specimens will continue to be used by
generations to come, they will not be able to take advantage of Rog in person. That is a loss!—Richard K. Rabeler
(MICH) and Alan S. Weakley (NCU)
Bruce Parfitt
1952–2009
B
otanist, biologist, birder Bruce Dale Parfitt of
Johnson, Vermont, died
at Vermont Respite House in
Williston, September 3,
2009. He was 56. Bruce was
born November 7, 1952 in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the son
of Dale and Joan (née Barth)
Parfitt. From age four during
family vacations, he fished,
hunted, and camped in
Oconto County in the land
of the jack pines and sweet
ferns “up north.” He graduated from Oshkosh High School in 1970, and earned a
extensive correspondence with colleagues around the
world; even in his final year he was regularly working in
his office on the 4th floor of Coker Hall. He also was an
Adjunct Research Scientist at the Hunt Institute,
Carnegie Mellon University since 1981, continuing his
interests in botanical history, especially in the travels of
Edward Palmer and the Sessé & Mociño expedition.
Rogers was active in various botanical societies. He
was a council member (1950–58) and president (1956)
of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. He served
the International Association for Plant Taxonomy as
vice-president (1969–72) and president (1972–75), as
well as serving many years on nomenclature committees
and as a member of the editorial committee for the
International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (1964–75).
The Festschrift that IAPT published in 1979 in honor of
his retirement includes a detailed biographical “appreciation” of Rog (Taxon 28: 1–3).
Rog received numerous honors for his outstanding
scholarly contributions; a complete list is available at the
University of North Carolina Herbarium website (www.
herbarium.unc.edu/Collectors/McVaugh.htm). Several
do warrant mention here. Rog was the first recipient of
three prestigious awards: the Asa Gray Award (American
Society of Plant Taxonomists 1984), the Luz María
Villarreal de Puga Medal (University of Guadalajara
1993), and the Cuatrecasas Medal for Excellence in
Tropical Botany (Smithsonian Institution 2001). He was
one of eight botanists honored at the International
Botanical Congress in 1999 with the Millenium Medal
from the International Association for Plant Taxonomy.
Not surprisingly with a career like that discussed -
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