Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew (June 14, 1912 – March 15, 1985) was an American

botanist Botany, also called plant science, is the branch of natural science and biology studying plants, especially Plant anatomy, their anatomy, Plant taxonomy, taxonomy, and Plant ecology, ecology. A botanist or plant scientist is a scientist who s ...

dedicated to the study of

plant systematics The history of plant systematics—the biological classification of plants—stretches from the work of ancient Greek to modern evolutionary biologists. As a field of science, plant systematics came into being only slowly, early plant lore usuall ...

Early life

Bartholomew was born on June 14, 1912, in

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio and Marshall County, West Virginia, Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The county seat of Ohio County, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mo ...

. Influenced by her naturalist father, she became interested in the natural sciences at a young age. When she was 12 Bartholomew joined the

Girl Scouts Girl Guides (or Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) are organisations within the Scout Movement originally and largely still for girls and women only. The Girl Guides began in 1910 with the formation of The Girl Guides ...

, and she subsequently earned all of the nature badges. After high school, Bartholomew attended

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, United States. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Ins ...

. She became interested in botany during her freshman year after taking a class taught by

Perry Daniel Strausbaugh Perry Daniel Strausbaugh (March 21, 1886 - May 3, 1965) was an American botanist and expert in the flora of West Virginia. Early life Strausbaugh was born near Republic, Ohio on March 21, 1886. When he was 16, he received his teacher's certifi ...

Career

In 1936, Bartholomew graduated with an A.B. degree in botany from West Virginia University. She started working for the Botany Department, acting as Herbarium Assistant of the West Virginia University Herbarium. Bartholomew initiated an exchange program between dozens of botanists in the southeast, and she personally coordinated, sorted, and mailed the botanical specimens. In 1946, Bartholomew became Secretary of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club. She received her

M.S. A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medicine ...

degree in botany from West Virginia University in 1948. under the direction of

Earl Lemley Core Earl Lemley Core (January 20, 1902 – December 8, 1984) was an American botanist and botanical educator, researcher, author and historian of West Virginia. He was founder of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club and editor of its journal, '' ...

. Her thesis was titled "The Flora of Wirt County, West Virginia". In 1972, Bartholomew become secretary of the West Virginia Academy of Science, and in 1974, she was appointed assistant professor of biology at West Virginia University. She retired from WVU in 1977, the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club in 1981, and from the West Virginia Academy of Science in 1984.

Legacy

The Elizabeth Ann Bartholomew Award, established in 1989, is presented by the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club annually. It is given to "individuals who have distinguished themselves in professional and public service that advances our knowledge and appreciation of the world of plants and their scientific, cultural, and aesthetic values, and/or exceptional service to the society." The Elizabeth A. Bartholomew Seed Collection, housed in the WVU Herbarium, contains over 2,000 specimens.

Awards

In 1974,

Arch A. Moore Jr. Arch Alfred Moore Jr. (April 16, 1923 – January 7, 2015) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as the 28th and 30th governor of West Virginia. He held office from 1969 to 1977 and again from 1985 to 1989, making him the lo ...

, Governor of West Virginia, gave Bartholomew an award as Outstanding West Virginian in 1974. The West Virginia Academy of Science gave her an appreciation award in 1983.

Publications

*1939. Spring foray in the Alleghanies of West Virginia. Castanea 4:131-132. *1940. Three spermatophytes new to West Virginia. Castanea 5:111. *1941. Galium pedemontanum in North America. Castanea 6:141-142. *1948. The flora of Wirt County. Castanea 13:145-167. *1948. Flora of Wirt County, West Virginia. Unpublished Masters Thesis, West Virginia University. 166 p. *1950. The family Hypericaceae in West Virginia. Castanea 15:102-110. *1951. The genus Botrychium in West Virginia. Castanea 16:135-137. *1957. Euonymus alatus established West Virginia. Castanea 22:139. *1957. Spring wild flowers-No. 1. West Virginia Univ. and The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. *1960. Summer and fall wild flowers. West Virginia Univ. and The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bartholomew, Elizabeth Ann 1912 births 1985 deaths West Virginia University faculty 20th-century American botanists