John Dawson (botanist)

John Wyndham Dawson (1 February 1928 – 11 March 2019) was a New Zealand botanist.

John Dawson
Born
John Wyndham Dawson

(1928-02-01)1 February 1928
Eketahuna, New Zealand
Died11 March 2019(2019-03-11) (aged 91)
Wellington, New Zealand
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
Spouse(s)
Judith Macken
​
(m. 1958)​
Scientific career
FieldsBotany
InstitutionsVictoria University of Wellington
ThesisA revision of the genus Anisotome Hook f. (Umbelliferae) (1958)

Early life and education

Dawson was born in Eketahuna on 1 February 1928.[1][2] He was educated at Eketahuna District High School and Christchurch Boys' High School.[2] He studied at Victoria University College from 1947 to 1952, graduating with a Master of Arts with second-class honours in 1953.[2][3] He was then awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, and undertook doctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley, from where he gained a PhD in January 1958.[2][4] The title of his thesis was A revision of the genus Anisotome Hook f. (Umbelliferae).[4]

In 1958, Dawson married Judith Macken, and the couple went on to have three children.[2]

Career

In 1957, Dawson was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Botany at Victoria University College (from 1962 known as Victoria University of Wellington), and remained there until his retirement in 1988, having risen to the rank of associate professor.[1][5] He served as head of the Botany Department between 1984 and 1987.[2] Dawson was a Fellow of the Linnaean Society.[6]

Dawson's research covered the characteristics, relationships and history of New Zealand plants. In particular, he was interested in the Umbelliferae family of alpine plants, and he also studied New Caledonian flora from the family Myrtaceae.[1] After his retirement from Victoria, Dawson continued his botanical research in New Caledonia, he ran extension courses on the native plants of New Zealand, and was a guide at Otari-Wilton's Bush.[7] Dawson's book, New Zealand's Native Trees, co-written with Rob Lucas, was named "Book of the Year" at the 2012 New Zealand Post Book Awards.[7]

The standard author abbreviation J.W.Dawson is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[8]

Death

Dawson died in Wellington on 11 March 2019.[6]

References
  1. Dawson, John (1988). Forest vines to snow tussocks: the story of New Zealand plants. Wellington: Victoria University Press. p. blurb. ISBN 0-86473-047-0. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). "New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001". New Zealand Who's Who, Aotearoa. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers: 271. ISSN 1172-9813.
  3. "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Da–Do". Shadows of Time. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  4. The ninety-fifth commencement. Berkeley: University of California. 1958. p. 58. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  5. "Native trees work takes out top literary award". Stuff.co.nz. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  6. "John Dawson death notice". New Zealand Herald. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  7. "Deluxe edition – New Zealand's native trees". The Women's Bookshop. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  8. IPNI.  J.W.Dawson.
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